May 18th

Big 12 and SEC looking for matchup of champions

From ESPN … The Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences have announced a deal that will pit their football regular-season champions against each other in a New Year’s Day bowl game for five years beginning in 2014, positioning themselves for the expected switch to a four-team playoff.

In fact, SEC commissioner Mike Slive all but said that scenario is coming in Friday’s announcement of the agreement between two of the most successful BCS conferences.

“A new January bowl tradition is born,” Slive said in a statement. “This new game will provide a great matchup between the two most successful conferences in the BCS era and will complement the exciting postseason atmosphere created by the new four-team model.

“Most importantly, it will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans with an outstanding bowl experience.”

If one or both of the league champions are selected to play in the playoff, another team would be selected for the Big 12-SEC bowl showdown on Jan. 1.

The move will establish the equivalent of the Pac 12 vs. Big Ten Rose Bowl, minus nearly a century of tradition. Those two conferences have pushed for a new format preserving that matchup for the Rose Bowl, which Slive has indicated he doesn’t favor.

…

Starting on New Year’s Day 2015, the champions of the Big 12 and SEC will meet in a New Year’s Day bowl game. Acting Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas said the leagues hope to play the game on New Year’s Day night, but the site of the game is still to be determined.

The game might be played at the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., or the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, which have been the traditional BCS hosts for the Big 12 and SEC, respectively. Or the new Big 12-SEC bowl game could be offered to the highest bidder — i.e. Atlanta or Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“The two conferences may just build their own bowl,” Neinas said, in an interview published on big12sports.com on Friday. “I wouldn’t say that’s the primary idea, but the point is the two conferences are working together and will explore it thoroughly and come to an agreement as to what we feel is in the best interest of the two conferences moving forward. It’s a true partnership.”

May 17th

Washington State to open Pac-12 season against BYU on Thursday night

Washington State’s season-opening game at BYU has been moved to Thursday, Aug. 30, and will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Kickoff will be at 5:15 p.m. mountain time. The game had previously been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 1st.

The two teams have met three times previously, with all three games falling between 1981 and 1990. BYU leads the series, 2-1.

So, who to root for as the Buff Nation waits around until Sunday, September 2nd, to open the season?

Case for Washington State … if you are a Pac-12 fan, you cheer for conference teams, right?

Case for BYU … if you believe in the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” theory (as I do), you note that BYU plays three Pac-12 teams this fall: Washington State; Utah; and Oregon State.

With Colorado picked to finish last in the Pac-12, every chance for the Buffs to climb a rung on the ladder … I’ll take it.

Go Cougs! … uh, that’s BYU Cougs!

Here is a preview of the BYU team which will face three Pac-12 teams this fall.

Big West may keep Boise State in Big East

Can’t tell the players without a program …

The recent mass defections from the Western Athletic Conference had an impact on Boise State, current member of the Mountain West Conference and future member of the Big East Conference.

Boise State was leaving for the Big East, but only for football. All other sports were to be members of the Western Athletic Conference. With the WAC down to five members, Boise State was re-thinking its move to the Big East, with a $5 million buyout to remain in the Mountain West Conference a distinct possibility.

Not to fast …

According to the Idaho Statesman, the Big West may ride to rescue.

The Big West, a California-based non-football league that is adding Hawaii and San Diego State (except for football) and was Boise State’s conference home in the late 1990s.

The league will “entertain” adding Boise State and has sent the Broncos the equivalent of a membership application, Commissioner Dennis Farrell said.

“We’re open to at least explore the possibility,” he told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday, one day after the league concluded meetings.

Boise State needs eight votes from the league’s 10 2013-14 members to be accepted into the conference. Those schools are Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, Cal State Northridge, UC Davis, San Diego State and Hawaii.

San Diego State is set to join Boise State as football-only members of the Big East next year. However, if the Broncos were to remain in the Mountain West for lack of a good home for its other sports, the Big East could opt not to keep San Diego State, which would push the Aztecs back to the Mountain West in all sports and deprive the Big West of a long-coveted member.

San Diego State Athletic Director Jim Sterk has acknowledged aiding Boise State. Farrell said San Diego State has “some sensitivity to Boise State’s situation.”

Hawaii, which is joining the Big West in July when its football program heads to the Mountain West, is paying travel subsidies to offset additional costs for the Big West members. Boise State could do the same or forego league revenues to help gain acceptance.

The Big West does not sponsor three Boise State sports: wrestling, women’s gymnastics and women’s swimming and diving.

Stay tuned … Colorado State may just dodge the Boise State bullet after all …

May 16th

Fresno State loses top receiver

Fresno State receiver Jalen Saunders, an All-Western Athletic Conference first-teamer this past season, will transfer at the end of the school year, his father confirmed Tuesday.

Saunders informed first-year coach Tim DeRuyter of the decision, apparently expressing frustration with the new no-huddle, spread system and the player’s role as a slot receiver and H-back rather than a wideout, Walter Saunders told the Fresno Bee.

Saunders led Fresno State in receiving yards as a sophomore, catching 50 passes for 1,065 yards. He also led the WAC with 12 touchdown receptions. Saunders average of 21.4 yards per catch ranked second in the nation.

“Fresno State is where Jalen wanted to be since high school, but there was a change of philosophy and a change of coaching staff that he no longer felt comfortable being there anymore,” Walter Saunders said. “He’s been frustrated. Jalen does not fit in their new style of ball. He felt like that even if he stuck with it, he wouldn’t progress.

“And when you feel like that, if you don’t have job satisfaction, you’re not going to do well.”

“They told him you’re not going to catch downfield anymore,” Walter Saunders said of the new coaching staff’s offense. “That’s like telling [quarterback] Derek Carr, ‘You’re only going to run option.’

“You’re talking about someone who just had a prolific season. He’s 19. His better days are not behind him. And you’re going to limit him and his role? What about his play last year, did he not show you he’s capable?”

Saunders will transfer to Oklahoma, where he will sit out the 2012 season. Saunders will then have two years of eligibility remaining to play in Norman.

May 15th

College Football Hall of Fame Class littered with familiar names

Perhaps it shows my age, but the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 certainly has a number of names which resonate (select bios below):

Notre Dame TE Dave Casper
LSU RB Charles Alexander
Purdue RB Otis Armstrong
Cal QB Steve Bartkowski
USC TE Hal Bedsole
BYU QB Ty Detmer
Rice QB Tommy Kramer
Syracuse WR Art Monk
CSU DB Greg Myers
UCLA OT Jon Ogden
Texas Tech DT Gabe Rivera
Kansas State LB Mark Simoneau
Air Force S Scott Thomas
Colorado G John Wooten

Along with the following coaches:

May 14th

USC takes over Coliseum

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the USC Trojans are taking over the Coliseum.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission on Monday approved a landmark agreement to surrender public control of the 88-year-old stadium to USC.

The 8-1 vote, with Commissioner Bernard C. Parks opposing, caps months of secretive negotiations as the stadium’s governing panel, which is jointly controlled by the state, county and city, has hurtled toward financial ruin.

USC and the Commission majority have said the deal is important to modernize the dilapidated stadium, which has lacked maintenance for years and needs its seats replaced. Sports industry experts say the deal offers USC virtually all the practical advantages of owning the Coliseum without forcing the school to buy it.

A state report in 2005 valued the Coliseum grounds at between $240 million and $400 million. The lease deal calls for USC to invest $70 million to renovate the stadium, take over the Coliseum’s $1-million rent to the state, and give the university control over revenue. The private school is seeking control of the stadium for 99 years.

After Monday’s vote, USC is seeking three more concessions from the state: an extension of the Coliseum lease from 2054 to 2111, a promise not to renegotiate the deal if the Coliseum Commission somehow dissolves, and a deal to control six potentially highly profitable state-owned parking lots ringing the stadium.

May 12th

Utah State looking to step up in move to Mountain West / Colorado State in lower half

The move to the Mountain West Conference will put the Utah State Aggies at the bottom of the league in terms of budget.

Mountain West Conference budgets, according to USA Today (for comparison’s sake: CU’s budget for 2010-11 was about $45 million – about $20 million more than the Colorado State Rams):

UNLV » $59,143,059

New Mexico » $37,331,322

Air Force » $35,081,470

Hawaii » $34,946,092

Fresno St. » $26,690,524

Wyoming » $26,524,851

Colorado St. » $25,355,036

Nevada » $23,988,811

San Jose State » $20,785,707

Utah St. » $19,344,112

“We want and need to get to a place where we feel good about ourselves,” Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes told the Salt Lake City Tribune. “We feel that we need to be towards the middle [of the conference] in order to compete for championships. We are selling the program every day. Our role is to get the fan base and the donors to understand what the needs are. We enjoy that because every day we are selling the future of Utah State athletics.”

For Barnes, that means pushing the budget closer to $30 million in the next five years. It means increasing the football season ticket base from the 5,500 it’s at now to the 10,000 range over the next three years.

With Colorado to receive about $18 million in the first year of the Pac-12 contracts (2012-13), the Buffs are about a year or two away (depending on how quickly the Pac-12 Networks start to produce income) from besting the highest Mountain West budget.

Of course, it will take some doing for Colorado to get into the higher brackets of the Pac-12, where Stanford and Oregon are producing over $80 million per year for their atheltic departments.

May 11th

Boise State may state out west

It never seemed like a good fit.  Boise State and San Diego State … in the Big East?

Now, according to CBSSportsline.com, the Broncos may be reconsidering the move. With the devaluation of the league with the losses of West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse (not to mention TCU, which was briefly a member of the Big East, at least on paper), traveling to the east coast for football games may have lost some of its allure. Also, with the implosion of the Western Athletic Conference, the non-football sports at Boise State may be needing to look for a new home in the near future.

Technically, Boise State has until June 30 to formally notify the MWC it’s leaving, but the other five schools scheduled to join the Big East in 2013 — San Diego State from the MWC and Houston, Southern Methodist, UCF and Memphis from Conference USA — all have formally withdrawn from their respective leagues.

The Broncos have signed a contract to join the Big East so they would have to pay a $5 million exit fee if they did not join the Big East before July 1, 2013. If the Broncos leave the Big East on or after July 1, 2013, they must provide 27 months notice and pay a $10 million exit fee.

It’s possible some of the topics discussed in recent talks between the Mountain West and Boise State were to help the school pay the $5 million exit fee to the Big East.

MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said last Friday Boise State could not keep its non-football sports in the Mountain West and move its football program to the Big East, but could remain in the MWC as a full member. The MWC added San Jose State and Utah State, giving the league 10 football members in 2013, but Thompson added “I think there is room [for Boise State and San Diego State] at the table.”

Boise State is concerned about the WAC’s future and has asked the Big East for help in placing its non-football programs in another league, the Idaho Statesman reported Wednesday.

That same day, Big East interim commissioner Joe Bailey said Boise State and San Diego State are still committed to the Big East.

“Well, my sense is that unless you hear differently, I think that there’s full commitment from their standpoint,” Bailey said. “You can’t there’s an expectation market and then there’s the reality market. And the reality of it is that those schools have indicated, to my knowledge, to the executive committee and to the other members, that they have a big belief that the Big East is a really good partner for them.”

Another reason Boise State could be changing its mind is the uncertainty surrounding the Big East’s future without the BCS AQ conference label. The BCS is removing the AQ and non-AQ designations beginning in 2014 and its unknown if the Big East will still receive BCS AQ type revenue or an amount closer to the current non-AQ leagues, such as the Mountain West.

And you thought CSU was going to be competitive in the newly watered down Mountain West Conference …

May 9th

Rick Neuheisel joins Pac-12 Network

Former CU head coach Rick Neuheisel will be talking with the Buff Nation this fall.

Neuheisel, along with former USC Trojan Ronnie Lott and former Stanford swimmer Summer Sanders, have been hired as on air personalities by the Pac-12 Networks, set to debut August 1st.

According to a Pac-12 press release … “This is an exciting day for the Pac-12 Networks as we bring on three of the greatest leaders and personalities in Pac-12 history as the initial members of our on air broadcast team,” said Lydia Murphy-Stephans, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Pac-12 Networks. “Exceptional storytelling is going to be the foundation of the Pac-12 Networks and with the success of our universities and student-athletes the storylines are never-ending. With Ronnie, Rick and Summer, we have three professionals who have a passion and deep understanding for the history and excellence that exists in the Pac-12. Their skills, expertise and unique insights will help us elevate our coverage and deliver the most compelling stories to our fans.”

What the release had to say about Neuheisel … Neuheisel was a walk-on quarterback at UCLA, who became a starter as a senior in 1983. After a slow start, he rallied the Bruins to six wins in their last seven games, including a big one over cross-town rival USC to clinch the Conference title and a berth into the Rose Bowl. His four touchdowns led UCLA to a 45-9 win over No. 4 Illinois and earned him Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player honors. Following his playing career, which included two years in the USFL, Neuheisel went into coaching and he served as the head coach at three Pac-12 universities: Colorado (1995-98), Washington (1999-2002) and UCLA (2008-11). During his head coaching tenure, he posted an 87-59 record, went 4-3 in bowl games, including guiding Washington to a Rose Bowl title in 2000.

“This is an amazing opportunity. I have such a deep passion and respect for the Conference and for all of the schools,” Neuheisel said. “I have been affiliated with the Pac-12 since I was six years old when my dad taught at Arizona State. I never missed a Sun Devils game growing up. Then I got the chance to play at UCLA and went to law school at USC. I began a coaching career at UCLA that took me to Colorado then to Washington and back to UCLA. The launch of the Pac-12 Networks is very exciting and I am thrilled for this opportunity to help deliver unprecedented exposure to the Conference of Champions.

May 8th

Jon Embree Pac-12 teleconference notes

On Tuesday, Jon Embree joined other Pac-12 head coaches for a teleconference.

Highlights …

On the importance of the return of linebacker Douglas Rippy – “I’m going to be relying a lot on him,” Embree said. “I think he is, obviously, not just a defensive leader, but he’s a team leader. He really is. He is a guy who, when he was out there, I think it says a lot that he was voted by the coaches as honorable mention All-Pac-12 and only played in, really, three games in the conference. I think coaches watched him play and saw what he was capable of. That says a lot about him. It’s imperative that we get the Doug Rippy back that we had for us to have success.”

Embree said Rippy is progressing well in his rehabilitation and will be able to practice when fall camp opens on Aug. 7. However, Embree said he plans to monitor Rippy closely and ease him back to a full workload.

On the quarterback race – “I’ll play it by ear, when I have a feel,” Embree said. “It’s kind of like the kicking thing last year. All of a sudden my gut instinct told me that Will Oliver was our guy. We did some stuff and I just felt like he was going to be the guy and so we named him. When I know, I’ll definitely make an announcement. If it’s a clear-cut deal, I’m not going to waste time. I think it’s important the team knows and obviously that quarterback knows that they’re going to be leading the team.”

Embree has said that he expects incoming freshman Shane Dillon to be a factor in the quarterback competition. But Dillon, a 6-foot-6, 195-pounder from El Cajon (Calif.) Christian in suburban San Diego, underwent surgery on Feb. 13 to repair a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder. “Nick is fine,” Embree said on the teleconference. “And I think Shane will be doing some throwing probably mid-June. He’s ahead of schedule.”

An experienced quarterback could also join the competition. Confirming widespread reports, Embree called it “a possibility” that former Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb would be added to the CU roster as a graduate transfer. Webb, a two-year starter for the Jayhawks, would be able to play immediately for Colorado as a graduate with remaining eligibility. He would be a fourth-year junior this fall. “We’ll see what happens with Jordan,” Embree said.

On splitting quarterback reps this fall: “With two to three going after it you have to be creative. We’ll do some different things to make sure they get quality reps. It may be by day, it may be by drill”.

Other notes (from the Daily Camera) … Embree said the Buffs improved their tackling this spring, though the overall level of proficiency isn’t where he wants it to be. He said he was also pleased to be able to get a lot of teaching done with the offensive linemen. …Embree said spring disappointments were the season-ending knee injury to wide receiver Paul Richardson and Hirschman missing all of the spring ball and not being able to work on the kicking game as much as he would have liked. “I feel like the team is ready to hit the ground running, really, June 5,” Embree said. ‘That’s when they come back and start doing their volunteer summer workouts. …That’s when you’ve got to get the work done. If you wait til Aug. 6, you’re fooling yourself.”

May 7th

Big 12 negotiates a new television deal

The existing television contract between ESPN/Fox and the Big 12 conference goes through 2016, but the new contracts which have been negotiated of late has led to an “extension” of the existing contract.

According to CBSSPorts.com, the 13-year deal is projected to be worth $200 million annually to the conference (an average of $20 million per school – unless the league expands) through 2025. For the moment, the Big 12 enters the stratosphere of the Pac-12, SEC and Big Ten, all of which are near or above the $200 million per year mark.

Expected to be announced along with the new deal is an extension of the league’s grant of rights. League CEOs had previously agreed to a six-year grant of rights that would allow the conference to keep a school’s television rights if it left for a new league. The expectation is that the new grant of rights will be 13 years to match the TV deal. That provision essentially binds the at-times contentious league together for the term of the agreement.

No mention is made in the report of dealing with “Tier 3″ broadcasts, which was a bone of contention when Colorado was still in the Big 12. The Texas Network still exists, so while Colorado and other Pac-12 schools will share – equally – the riches of the Pac-12 Networks, there will still be the “haves” and the “have nots” in the Big 12.

So … a good day for Iowa State and Kansas State … but not a great day.

May 4th

Pac-12 coaches weigh in on playoff discussion

 According to Ted Miller at ESPN.com … Pac-12 coaches and athletic directors generally expressed optimism over the expected move toward a four-team college football playoff in 2014, but there was plenty of caution as well as a smack of defiance during the conference’s spring meetings at the posh Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

Some, such as Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and Washington State coach Mike Leach, don’t think four teams is enough. Some worried about losing the bowl games, particularly the Pac-12′s longstanding and storied connection to the Rose Bowl. And just about everyone was concerned about the selection process.

If the Pac-12 continues with nine conference games each season, while other conferences – notably the SEC, ACC and Big Ten – play eight, the league has six extra losses guaranteed on its collective schedule. While other leagues are building resumes by beating up on directional schools, the Pac-12 must eat its own.

“You need some competitive equity within all of the conferences if you are going to do this thing,” USC athletic director Pat Haden told ESPN. “But if you’re going to have a conference, it seems to me you should be playing your conference opponents rather than non-conference opponents. In USC and Stanford’s case we really have 10 conference games if you include Notre Dame, because we both have a long history of playing Notre Dame.”

While the sentiment is strong among the coaches to reduce the Pac-12 conference schedule to eight games, sentiments mostly lean the other way among the athletic directors. The topic was discussed this week, but commissioner Larry Scott confirmed that there is no short-term plan to reduce the conference slate to eight games.

A four-team playoff may be coming, but Pac-12 coaches are concerned about how those four teams will be chosen.

They don’t really care where they play, but they do want to know how they get there.

“I’d hate to go to just one little group or one committee that picks the teams,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I think it’s way too important. The more people you have involved, probably the better.”

Oregon coach Chip Kelly pointed out that if there was a final four in place last fall, then Stanford would have been in and his Ducks would have been out, despite their decisive win in Palo Alto. The biggest reason for that? Oregon lost to LSU in the season-opener, giving it one more defeat than Stanford. If the Ducks had played San Jose State, they almost certainly would have finished fourth.

“There seems like there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered before anybody can say, ‘Hey, that’s a great idea,’” Kelly said.

 To be continued …

May 3rd

Stanford Athletic Director reportedly the new Big 12 commissioner

As first reported by ESPN.com Wednesday evening, it appears that Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby will be named the new commissioner of the Big 12 on Friday.

Bowlsby, 60, has been at Stanford since 2006 and previously was athletic director at Iowa from 1991-2006 and Northern Iowa from 1984-91.

Bowlsby is one of the most respected athletic directors in the country. While at Stanford, the Cardinal won their unprecedented 17th consecutive Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, awarded to the nation’s top all-around athletic program based on NCAA tournament success in each sport.

In December of 2006, Bowlsby hired former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh as Stanford’s football coach, which resurrected the program. When Harbaugh left for the San Francisco 49ers, Bowlsby promoted offensive coordinator David Shaw, who guided the Cardinal to a second consecutive BCS bowl berth last season.

Bowlsby also was a key component in working with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott in securing the league’s groundbreaking multimedia rights agreement that extends through 2024.

One of Bowlsby’s first duties is decide if the league should expand. With the addition of West Virginia and TCU, they have 10 members for the 2012-13 season. But there are several within the conference who want the league to expand to 11 or 12 for stability reasons and others who want the league to remain at 10 schools.

Industry sources told CBSSports.com if the Big 12 does expand Louisville would be its first target as a full member and UL would leave the Big East. The Big 12 also has hopes to try and sway Notre Dame to join the league, either as an all-sports member or just for as an Olympic sports member.

What it means to Colorado …

It the micro … not much.

In the macro … it could mean a great deal.

The world of college football has undergone titantic shifts over the past few seasons, and there is no reason to believe that the world is done shaking. Expansion and conference re-alignment continues (witness the moves of the Mountain West and Conference USA this week), and while the Pac-12 is likely to remain the Pac-12 for the foreseeable future, moves of other teams does affect the Pac-12 and the Buffs.

There is also the impact Bowlsby’s move might have on the conference’s voting on a college football “playoff” (if that word is ever allowed to be spoken). Bowlsby and Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott have spent a great deal of time together the past few seasons, and Bowlsby could be a trusted ally with Scott when it comes to convincing college presidents of the merits of a new means to create a national championship format.

Bowlsby is also very familiar with the formation and structure of the Pac-12 Networks, with the the Networks set to launch on August 1st. He could take his knowledge of the history of the negotiations – which learned lessons from the formation of the Big Ten Network – and apply it to negotiations on behalf of the Big 12 (which remains in flux with the subtractions of Missouri and Texas A&M, and the additions of West Virginia and TCU).

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world out there.

Let’s just hope that the Pac-12 keeps Larry Scott under contract. His track record to date is unparalleled.

May 2nd

Coloradoan columnist  calls for ouster of three accused players

Miles Blumhardt, columnist for the Coloradoan, has called on Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain to dismiss suspended brawlers Mike Orapko, Nordly Capi and Colton Paulhaus:

“In case you’ve been hiding under the Hughes Stadium bleachers the past month, witnesses said these three savagely beat up a fellow student and repeatedly lied to police about their involvement in the fight until enough evidence was found to charge them with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. A kit used to skew marijuana drug tests and suspected steroids and syringes also were found at the players’ homes.

“Strike one, strike two, strike three.

…

“You can make the argument the three were enticed to fight. Valid, Donny Gocha, the freshman who took a helmet-dislodging hit harder than the one Orakpo delivered to a UNLV player that made ESPN highlights, also received the same charge. Fact is, when you are on a college football team, certain rules apply that don’t apply to the regular student body.

“You can make the argument the players deserve a second chance. I like this one, except that all three have been in previous off-the-field altercations, and Paulhaus has a previous arrest.

“The second chance should come at another school. If kicked off the team, they are eligible to take their talents elsewhere and play.

“You can make the argument to let them stay because the defense that gave up a Swiss cheese-like 36.4 points per game last year desperately needs them.

“As a Rams fan, I hear you. Capi and Orakpo are two of the three best players on a bad defense, along with linebacker Shaq Barrett. And, as the saying goes, ‘You never see a donkey win the Kentucky Derby.’  …

…

“Coach Mac, do the right thing and rid yourself and the team of these selfish players. This is an opportunity to teach life lessons such as accountability, responsibility and respectability.”

Interesting article (don’t forget to check out the comments from the CSU apologists!). We’ll see how it all unfolds under CSU’s “Coach Mac (sic)” …

May 1st

Pac-12 Meetings to discuss a multitude of topics

CU to the Pac-12? So 2010.

Pac-12 television contract worth $3 billion? Old (2011) news.

While the Pac-12 meetings the next few days in Phoenix will not likely bring about blockbuster news, there will be very important discussions taking place.

“There’s going to be a lot of talk about scheduling, potential games with the Big Ten, talk about television and scheduling, times of games, recommendations on rules,” new Arizona State athletic director Steve Patterson told arizonasports.com. “There’s going to be a lot of talk about APR, graduation rates. So, those will be some of the topics we’ll be talking about over the next couple of days.”

There will also be a great deal of discussion about the Pac-12 Networks, set to launch three months from today.

Colorado athletics director Mike Bohn told the Daily Camera that there is still a lot of work to do in the final three months as the conference prepares to unveil the Pac-12 Networks. Bohn said it’s still unclear how much programming on the six regional networks will be dedicated solely to the two schools that network is geared toward and how much the regional networks will use programming from the Pac-12 national network.

Initially, it’s likely that most of the content will be from the national network as it things get up and running, but fans should be able to see more content featuring their local schools as the networks develop and the school year progresses. The conference estimated last year that it would broadcast 850 live events during its first year of operation in the 2012-13 seasons, with 500 of those events slated for the regional networks covering Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona and the Colorado-Utah region.

Last month, Bohn said the league is making progress in negotiations with satellite television companies to make the networks available to them and their subscribers. The Pac-12 network will be available in the Denver-Boulder area through Comcast (but that is of little solace to those of us living in satellite dish land, as no agreements have been reached with a satellite provider, and none may be forthcoming until this summer).

The meetings represent another opportunity for Bohn and chancellor Phil DiStefano to pick the brains of their counterparts around the league in terms of what to consider including or discarding when it comes to stadium upgrades. Many of the Pac-12 schools have recently made upgrades to their football stadiums or they are in the process of doing so (see Colorado Daily posting about a merger announced Tuesday which has made a potential donor a very rich man).

It should be an interesting few days … stay tuned.

April 30th

Utah State and San Jose State take a half step up

The Southwest Conference … The Big Eight … The Pac-10 …

The Western Athletic Conference?

The WAC has been around since 1962, and started with members including Arizona and Arizona State. Now, while enjoying its 50th year in existence, the WAC may be fading away.

Present members Utah State and San Jose State are set to bolt the WAC for the Mountain West Conference, starting in 2013. This leaves the Western Athletic Conference with only a handful of teams playing football. The remaining existing members which will carry through are Idaho, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech, to be joined this fall by Texas State and the University of Texas – San Antonio (Denver, Seattle, and UT Arlington are also joining the WAC, but do not field football programs). Texas – San Antonio has already stated its intention to defect to Conference USA in 2013, while Louisiana Tech, for its part, may well do the same.

Farewell, Western Athletic Conference? We’ll see …

So where does this leave the Mountain West?

Come 2013, the league will be made up of the following: Air Force; Colorado State; Wyoming; New Mexico; UNLV; Nevada; Hawai’i (football only); Fresno State; Utah State; and San Jose State.

Not exactly a murderer’s row.

With the coming elmination of the “Automatic Qualifier” vs. “Non-Automatic Qualifier” restriction for entry into the new BCS playoffs (or whatever it is eventually called), the path to an undefeated season for Colorado State – and other MWC members - may be eased.

Which will, in fact, make it all the more difficult to get there.

Even with the discussed merger between the Mountain West and Conference USA, it will be difficult for any Mountain West team to put together a resume good enough to qualify for a national championship semi-final. Teams will have to put together a strong non-conference resume to garner any national respect.

Think Colorado State is thinking along those lines?

Think again.

Other than Colorado and a home-and-home seriese with Minnesota planned for 2015 & 2016, the Rams do not have a single BCS conference team on their schedule for the remainder of the decade. Colorado State has planned games against the likes of North Dakota State, Cal Poly, and UTEP … not exactly the same as Boise State taking on Georgia to bolster its resume. (The Rams do play both Utah State and San Jose State in 2012 in non-conference play – a taste of things to come).

So, for the foreseeable future, Colorado State has no plans to compete for a national championship, or even a national ranking.

Their biggest game of the season will continue to be their Super Bowl … the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

April 28th

Pac-12 has 28 players taken in 2012 NFL draft

Quick quiz: Which Pac-12 team had the most players taken in the 2012 NFL draft?

USC? Nope.

Oregon? Nah.

Stanford? Nyet.

Try the Cal Bears, who had six players drafted this spring, including two second-rounders, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz and linebacker Mychael Kendricks. The 2012 draft actually netted a top 60 pick from Cal for the sixth straight year. Translation: Jeff Tedford can recruit and develop talent – he just can’t win the Pac-12.

Notes from around the Pac-12 … Oregon and Stanford each had four players drafted, with all four of the Cardinal players who were taken going off the board in the first two rounds (and the first 42 picks overall) … USC had three players taken in the draft, but so did bottom-feeder Arizona (including quarterback Nick Foles, the first Wildcat starting quarterback drafted since 1961) … Joining Colorado with two draft picks were Washington and Arizona State. With the Huskies and the Sun Devils, the news was about the players who were not drafted. For Washington, it was running back Chris Polk (injury-prone), while for Arizona State it was all about linebacker Vontaze Binfet (attitude) … Coming in with one draft pick each was Utah and Oregon State, while Washington State and UCLA were shut out of the 2012 draft. While it would be easy to mock the Rick Neuheisel-recruited Bruins, the bad news for the Buff Nation is that CU head coach Jon Embree’s son, wide receiver Taylor Embree, went undrafted.

Overall, the Pac-12 had a down year compared to the other Big Six Conferences. Not surprisingly, the SEC, winner of the last six BCS championships, led the way, with 42 picks. The Big Ten was not far behind, though, with 41. Coming in third was the ACC with 31, followed by the Pac-12. Trailing the Pac-12 was the Big 12, with 26, and the Big East, with only 12 draft picks.

Pac-12 free-agent signings of note …

Quarterback Tyler Hansen – Cincinnati Bengals

Running back Rodney Stewart – Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive lineman Conrad Obi – Arizona Cardinals

Others …

Former CU running back Darrell Scott – Dallas Cowboys

UCLA wide receiver Tyler Embree – San Diego Chargers

Infamous Oregon speedster Cliff Harris – Philadelphia Eagles

Washington running back Chris Polk – Philadelphia Eagles

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Cincinnati Bengals

May 18th

ESPN pegs Washington State game as the most important of the season

Kevin Gemmell of ESPN has been rating the most important game for each team this fall.

“The most important game: Colorado” is … Washington State.

Writes Gemmell: “This game could be the most pivotal of Colorado’s season. If the Buffaloes start off 3-0, then get a victory in Pullman, they’ll head home to face a still-uncertain UCLA team before the bye week. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Colorado to be — wait for it — 5-0 heading into the bye week. Of course, a lot of things have to fall into place for all of this to come together. And it might be a stretch — but it’s not a big stretch.

“If the Buffaloes can take care of business in the first three games, they’ll have plenty of motivation for revenge against Washington State, and a ton of confidence as they look to the second half of the season and the very real possibility of achieving a bowl game.”

While I would agree with Gemmell if the Buffs do complete a 3-0 non-conference slate, but I’m not ready to give the Buffs, with three wins in thirteen games in 2011, three wins in a row in early September.

So, for my money, the most important game of the season is Fresno State.

The CSU game is a default “must win” game each season, and a loss to the Rams this September would be a disaster. The Rams are coming off of three consecutive 3-9 seasons, have lost, suspended, or expelled much of their defensive talent, and have as many questions at quarterback as does Colorado.

If the Buffs can get their act together against the Rams, and take care of business against Sacramento State, then a game-changer for the 2012 sesaon could come against Fresno State. The game is on the road, which, until the upset of Utah last November, was the albatross which hung around the neck of the CU football program for four years.

While it is true that the Buffs currently own a one-game road winning streak, the record-shattering road losing streak will still be a topic of conversation leading up to the September 15th game in Fresno. The Bulldogs have a new coach and their own set of problems coming off of a 4-9 campaign in 2011. Fresno State will likely enter the game against Colorado with a 1-1 record, but will still be a mystery. The Bulldogs open with a warmup game against Weber State from the Big Sky Conference before heading off to Eugene to be a sacrificial lamb for Oregon.

The true test of whether Colorado for the 2012 season may well come against Fresno State. Wins against Colorado State and Sacramento State will give hope for better things to come, but a win against Fresno State – a mediocre non-BCS team on the road (not unlike Hawai’i last fall, which handed the Buffs their hats in the 2011 season opener), could make a win against Washington State in Pullman a real possibility.

Then we can start talking about taking out UCLA on September 29th … and a 5-0 September.

May 17th

Jordan Webb  any closer to becoming a Buff?

Back on March 26th, Adam at BuffStampede.com broke the story back that former Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb would be transferring to Colorado. Since then, though, the transfer has not been officially confirmed by the university, as Webb had to complete his spring semester in Lawrence before a transfer could be finalized.

Now, with classes winding down for the spring, the news of Colorado having a sixth quarterback on the roster come August is becoming more and more accepted fact.

Which rekindles the question – is adding Webb a good move … or a desperate one?

In separate articles for the Daily Camera, beat writers Kyle Ringo and Ryan Thornburn argue the addition of Webb is a positive step.

Ringo: It remains to be seen if Embree’s program will have to rely on Webb and his experience this fall or if he will simply serve as a nice security blanket backing up either Connor Wood or Nick Hirschman, both of whom are third-year sophomores.

It’s a wise move on Embree’s part to nab a player with Webb’s experience going into a season when only one of the quarterbacks currently on the roster has any experience at all playing at the college level and that experience amounts to mop-up duty in several games and one very shaky start in which he was pulled in the first quarter.

But the reality of the situation CU coaches are facing is that is all they really have to work with right now — players with solid potential. And the simple fact of the matter is, that makes coaches nervous.

Webb has nearly 20 starts under his belt playing for a Big 12 Conference program the past two years. He played in 12 games last fall and completed 64 percent of his passes. He threw for 1,884 yards and 13 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.  Those statistics could be described as average at best. They wouldn’t even get him a look with some programs, but at CU they are considerably more than anyone else has to offer.

And it’s not really those statistics that have Embree and his staff excited about adding Webb to the roster. It’s knowing that Webb has been in the fray on Saturday afternoons in front of 70,000 fans. He has faced myriad situations and they know if they need him, they can put him in a game and not have to worry that he freezes up or freaks out or simply won’t perform.

Thorburn: The good — Webb, who was listed at 6-0 and 195 pounds last season, has almost two full seasons of starting experience and has competed against Big 12 athletes.

The bad — Nine of Webb’s 13 touchdown passes last season came against McNeese State, Northern Illinois and Texas Tech. Against Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas he was a combined 46-for-88 passing for 324 yards with one touchdown and six interceptions.

The ugly — With Webb under center for all 12 games in 2011, the Jayhawks were 2-10 overall and 0-9 in the Big 12. That performance cost Turner Gill his job and led to Charlie Weis cleaning house in Lawrence.

Embree will allow the best man to win, and the Buffs will be in good shape when that starter emerges.

Which makes this a much better situation than the bizarre days when the previous head coach went back and forth between Hansen and Cody Hawkins.

At least quarterbacks want to come to Boulder now, understanding that they are at least guaranteed the chance to compete.

“That’s the main reason I’m leaving Kansas because I want playing time, or at least an opportunity for it,” Webb told the Buffzone’s Kyle Ringo earlier this year. “And if I go in and work hard at learning the offense and things like that, I could have a good shot.”

Thorburn does also point out the old football cliche: “If you have two quarterbacks, you really have none”. 

Does the courting of Jordan Webb indicate a lack of faith in the existing roster?

How will the coaches be able to adequately evaluate six quarterbacks during fall practices?

Can the Buffs post a winning record with a quarterback who isn’t named as the starter until mid- to late-August?

We’ll find out soon enough.

May 16th

Consensus on playoff system getting closer

In the next six weeks or so, there will be an announcement as to a new college football playoff system (though it likely won’t be called a “playoff”). While the consensus as to where the teams will play and how they will be selected hasn’t been finalized, some options have been taken off the table.

An eight or sixteen team playoff? Only Washington State’s head coach Mike Leach seems to still believe this is a viable option. In another decade or so? Perhaps. But not in 2014.

Guaranteed slots for “automatic qualifiers”? Dead. Getting into an AQ conference was one of the main reasons Boise State was willing to travel to New Jersey to play football. With the AQ status no longer an issue, Boise is looking at staying closer to home.

A “Plus-one” option? Not being discussed. The thought of taking the top two teams after the end of the bowl season seemed like a stepping-stone option at one point, but the conference presidents and athletic directors are now warm to the four-team playoff, a step better than “plus-one”.

What’s left to be determined is where the four teams will play, and how they will be selected.

Where will the four teams play?

The latest option to lose favor in this area is the “home-site” semi-finals. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany long championed the notion, envisioning Ohio State or Wisconsin hosting a national semi-final game in the frigid midwest, rather than having to send its conference champion south every year for a defacto road game against an SEC team.

The Big Ten commissioner, though, isn’t even winning support in his own conference. In a report at cbssports.com, three Big Ten athletic directors have stated their preference to travel to Pasadena, even over staying home.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told the Lansing State-Journal that a plan to hold the coming four-team playoff semifinals on campus sites, was no longer on the BCS negotiating table. He said that maintaining the value of the Rose Bowl, however, was “critical.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, who said his opinion had “shifted”on the idea of playing the semifinals at bowl venues rather than on-campus sites, with the Rose Bowl presumably one of those two semifinal hosts. He added that the rest of the league’s A.D.’s had been similarly convinced.

Likewise, Nebraska’s Tom Osborne left no doubt as to where his opinions stood. “There was a pretty strong consensus among the A.D.s that we’d like to have the playoff within the bowl system,” he said. “It would be a competitive advantage to have semifinal games at home fields … But the bowls have been good to us. If you took them out of the playoff, it would pretty much destroy the bowl system.”

Still left to be determined … Will the four teams play as part of the bowl system? The most popular model right now has the top two teams playing in their “home” bowls – e.g., Ohio State from the Big Ten or USC from the Pac-12 would play in the Rose Bowl; an Alabama would play in the Sugar Bowl; a Clemson would play in the Orange Bowl, with a championship game to be played at a neutral site, including NFL domes in places like Indianapolis or Detroit.

How will the top four teams be selected?

This remains a thorny issue. Many point to this past season as a concern. Many schools don’t like the idea of having two teams from the same conference qualify (LSU v. Alabama), while others don’t like using the current model (which would have taken a 11-1 Stanford team over an 11-2 Oregon team – even though the Ducks thumped the Cardinal, 53-30, in Palo Alto.

A good option has been put forth by Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated, as summarized in an article by Andy Staples, points out that a selection committee, a la the NCAA basketball selection committee, would be most appropriate:

May 15th

Former Buff John Wooten Elected to College Football Hall of Fame

From ESPN … One of the first two African-American football players at Colorado (with Frank Clarke), John Wooten lettered three years as a left guard in Dal Ward’s Wing-T/Single-Wing offense, earning All-America honors in 1958 and All Big-Seven in 1956 and 1957. Most known as a 6-foot-2, 230-pound guard who was agile and powerful, he also played tackle on defense.

His impact was immediate. In 1956, he helped the Buffs to an 8-2-1 record and the school’s first ever bowl victory — a 27-21 win in the Orange Bowl. The next year Colorado led the nation in rushing with 322.3 yards per game and they were second in total offense (415.2) — and a lot of that had to do with the holes Wooten was opening up. Then in 1958, Colorado achieved its first ever Top 10 ranking, climbing to No. 9 nationally after a 5-0 start.

In 1959 he was a fifth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, where he went on to play nine seasons, earning All-Pro status, before closing out his career with one season in Washington. He went on to have a decorated career in NFL administration, streamlining programs centered on continuing education and financial planning for players. After working in Dallas, Philadelphia and Baltimore, he retired from the NFL in 2003.

In 1989 he was named as a first-team member of Colorado’s All-Century Team. To honor him, the Buffs hand out the John Wooten Award annually, which goes to the team’s most improved player.

From cubuffs.com … Wooten will become the sixth Buffalo enshrined in the Hall, joining Byron White (inducted in 1952), Joe Romig (1984), Dick Anderson (1993), Bobby Anderson (2006) and Alfred Williams (2010).  Like White and Romig, Wooten played in the platoon era of the sport and excelled at offensive guard along with playing defensive tackle.

 “I always felt that I made a great decision to go to Colorado, I had a great time, and forged many relationships which still exist today,” Wooten said.  When an honor like this comes, it makes you reflect on all things that have happened across your life, and it makes you happy.  I just smile at how great the good Lord has blessed me.  My wife told me this is ‘Your great birthday present for number 76’.”

“This is something I never dreamed of,” he continued.  “I can truthfully say that it never really entered my mind that someday it could happen.  I looked every year when it the new inductees were announced to see who made it, and had such a great feeling for the guys who I played against and knew of their great careers.  It is difficult to believe that I am privileged to receive such an honor, but I am totally thrilled.”

“We had some real fine players and some really good teams,” Wooten said of the CU squads in the mid-to-late 1950s.  So many outstanding players and leaders – Boyd Dowler, Bob Stransky, Wally Merz, Bob Salerno, the Stapp (Dick and Bob) brothers, John Bayuk, Bill Mondt – I could go on and on.  I just played hard, did all I could to help us win.  I felt very good about my career.”

Nicknamed the “Sun Devil” early in his CU career (“I like the sun and I try to be a regular devil out there on the football field,” he said at the time), Wooten earned the starting spot at left guard for his very first varsity game in the late Dal Ward’s single-wing offense.  Considered big in size for the day, he was a 6-foot-2, 230-pound bulldozer on offense and a fierce hitter on defense.  Reporters wrote not to worry about the left side of the offensive line, Wooten is there, while teams often geared their offensive attack away from Wooten’s side of the defense.

May 14th

Paul Richardson’s injury rated the most damaging of the spring

ESPN.com blogger Ted Miller has compiled his “Best of Pac-12 Spring“. Included on the list:

“Worst injury: Colorado losing wide receiver Paul Richardson for the season is an absolute back-breaker. There might be other guys who step up — but Richardson was a proven playmaker on a team desperate for them. He would have made life a lot easier for whoever wins the starting job.”

Then, the best line of the spring: “Whatever football god shuffles the deck, he keeps dealing out 2-7 to Jon Embree & Co.”

May 13th

Toney Clemons happy to be back home in Pittsburgh

Former Buff Toney Clemons has come full circle.

Growing up in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, twenty minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, Clemons, a seventh round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, took a circuitous route home.

In an article in for  Ohio Valley Athletics(thanks for finding it, Buffnik!), Clemons talks about being a high school star (No. 10 wide receiver in the nation) -“I’d say it was about seventh or eighth grade that I knew I wanted to play football,” Clemons said.  ”Football was something that helped me escape the surroundings that I grew up around and it helped me in school too.  I put all of my time and effort into sports, and I knew if I wanted to play, I had to keep my grades up.  School and sports became my main focuses.”

Clemons signed with Michigan in 2006, and would have stayed with the Wolverines had Lloyd Carr be retained as coach – “If I could do it over again, I would definitely still go play for Coach Carr with no hesitation,” Clemons said.  ”He sat in my living room and my library at school to tell me how he saw me fitting in with the program.  I would do it again with no hesitation.”

Still, when Rich Rodriguez replaced Carr, Clemons went looking for a new home – “Colorado used to be a powerhouse in the 1990′s and they have a lot of tradition there,” Clemons said.  ”They needed help on special teams and at receiver where I knew I could fill that need.  I knew I would play against the top talent that they play against every year, but I also knew they had a great education there and that I would be able to graduate.”

Clemons hauled in 86 catches for 1,162 yards and 11 touchdowns over two season in Boulder. Good numbers, but not good enough to be invited to the NFL Combine. Despite not being invited to the NFL combine, Clemons put on a show at his pro day by running a 4.36 40-yard-dash.  According to Clemons, only the New York Giants and New England Patriots didn’t show interest in him leading up to the draft.

Clemons was finally chosen in the seventh round of the draft, and, as luck would have it, the call came from his hometown Steelers. “Being selected by the best organization in the business is the highest compliment I ever got in a sport,” Clemons said.  ”They liked and had confidence in my talents that they wanted me to be a Steeler.  They pick great talent each year in the late rounds and do it with class.  For me to be a project for this team is just indescribable.”

While putting on his Steelers jersey was one of the biggest moments of his life, there was another piece of black and gold attire that meant just a little bit more to him.

“Ah man, there is only one black and gold uniform that I was more proud to wear than my Steelers jersey,” Clemons said.  ”That was my graduation uniform at Colorado.  My main plan was to succeed.  I came all that way doing a lot of different things, so getting my degree was the biggest thing for me.”

Yet another Buff wearing the black-and-gold of Pittsburgh.

Yet another Buff to cheer for on Sundays this fall.

May 12th

Former Buff defensive end Alex Ligon diagnosed with cancer

Alex Ligon, a defensive end for CU from 2002-06, has been diagnosed with APL (known as Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia).

The good news is that APL, while rare, has a much higher remission rate than other forms of Leukemia. APL Leukemia is a subtype of AML much easier to fight, according to Ligon’s doctors.

If you would like to track Ligon’s progress, or pass along good wishes, he has set up a blog, Alex Ligon’s Fight.

Ligon is undergoing chemotheraphy, battling what he now jokes with his doctors as “good cancer.”

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Alex!!

Alex’s career at Colorado …

Ligon came to Boulder from Torrance, California in 2002. As a senior in high school, he earned SuperPrep all-Far West and PrepStar all-West honors, along with first-team all-state (Cal-Hi Sports), all-CIF, all-area (L.A. Daily Breeze) and all-Ocean League honors, and was second-team all-CIF for all divisions.

After red-shirting in 2002, Ligon saw action in 11 games as a red-shirt freshman in 2003, including one start (at Texas Tech), while missing the Baylor game for precautionary reasons recovering from a concussion. In 250 snaps from scrimmage, he registered 15 tackles, which included nine solo stops, four for losses and three quarterback sacks.

As a sophomore in 2004, Ligon played in all 13 games, with 10 starts including the Houston Bowl, as he earned honorable mention all-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press. In playing the fourth most snaps on defense (695), he posted 34 tackles, including 21 solo, 11 for losses and four-and-a-half quarterback sacks. He added five third down stops, three quarterback hurries, two passes broken up, two forced fumbles and a recovery. He had a monster game at Washington State, and was rewarded for it by being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (as well as CU’s lineman of the week): he was in on a career-high seven tackles, six solo, with four for losses including three quarterback sacks, and forced a fumble.

In 2005, Ligon saw action in 11 games including the Champs Sports Bowl, making five regular season starts as he missed two games (Kansas State, Missouri) due to a severe knee sprain. He earned honorable mention all-Big 12 honors from the Associated Press as he played 383 snaps on defense in racking up 18 tackles (10 solo), with five quarterback pressures, three passes broken up two third down stops and a tackle for loss.

Ligon’s senior year was the disappointing 2-10 season, and it was a disappointment for Ligon as well. Ligon played in six games, including starts in the final three, as assorted injuries limited his participation. He had 11 tackles on the year (seven solo) in 109 snaps from scrimmage.

The end of the 2006 season, though, did have a happy ending, as in December of that year, Ligon graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

May 11th

Forbes magazine: ACC deal “pales in comparison” to Pac-12 deal

Can we give Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott a contract extension now, please?

Forbes magazine is the latest to take note of what a great set of contracts the Pac-12 put together over the past year, both with the networks (ESPN and Fox) as well as the retention of rights for the Pac-12 Networks.

In an article entitled, “ACC’s New $3.6 Billion Television Deal Still Pales in Comparison to Pac-12′s Deal”,  Forbes writer Patrick Rishe notes that the ACC recently reached an agreement with ESPN. The contract goes for 15 years, and is worth $3.6 billion, which works out to a tidy $17.14 million per team in the ACC.

Not bad. In fact, the new deal, which runs through 2027, is a 32% increase from the existing contract. However, as Rishe points out, the Pac-12 deal is 12 years and $3 billion.  So not only is that more money annually for the Pac-12 conference ($250 million) compared to the ACC deal, but with only 12 conference members that yields more money per school ($20.83 million to be exact) than what the ACC just secured for its soon-to-be 14 conference members.

Moreover, as noted by the Pac-12′s VP of Business Affairs Woodie Dixon, the Pac-12 owns 100% of its own equity.  They have much greater control of their brand management and sponsorships than the ACC will have.

Finally, the ACC is now locked in until 2027. The SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 have contracts which do not go out as long (the Pac-12 contract is for 12 years), meaning that by the time a new contract comes along for the ACC in 2027, the $240 million per year will look like a paltry sum.

All this, and the Pac-12 hasn’t even opened the Pac-12 Networks for business. With the league retaining rights to a significant number of football games – 35 each season - and most of the men’s basketball games, the Networks will likely, in a few short years, become a significant revenue stream for the conference.

The Big East, Mountain West, Conference USA and Western Athletic Conference remain in flux … but, starting August 1st, the Pac-12 can sit back in quiet stability … and count all the money coming into its coffers.

May 10th

Looking for a mid-May pick-me-up?

Below is a YouTube highlight video of CU senior linebacker Jon Major. Last fall, Major led the team in tackles, with 85. Major also had three sacks, four tackles for loss, six third down stops, and three passes broken up.

Without further ado … Jon Major “Buffalo Warrior”:

YouTube video highlights of Jon Major

May 8th

Ray Polk makes Lott Award Watch list

With the relative youth of the 2012 Colorado Buffs, combined with the low expectations for the team as a whole, there will be very few mentions of CU players when award lists are posted. Possible nominees: linebackers Jon Major and Doug Rippy; offensive lineman David Bakhtiari; defensive lineman Will Pericak; and …

safety Ray Polk.

Polk was the first to have his name posted on an award’s Watch list, being named to the ninth annual Lott IMPACT Trophy, 

The award is presented to an individual who, as college football’s defensive player of the year, demonstrates excellence in the field of athletics and who best exemplifies Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

“Each year we are proud to present a list of college football players who exemplify the things we believe in,” said Ronnie Lott.  “This group is no exception.  These young men are terrific players and great role models, both on and off the field.”

Polk, a 6-1, 205-pound free safety from Scottsdale, Ariz., has logged over 70 hours of community service at Upward Foundation that helps mentally challenged kids.  He had 80 tackles last fall, including a team-best 59 unassisted stops.

The Big Ten leads the way with nine nominees, followed by the Pac-12 with eight, the ACC and Big-12 with seven each and the SEC with five. 

There are 18 linebackers, 13 defensive backs and 11 defensive linemen on the list. 

Voting for the Lott IMPACT Trophy will take place throughout the season with the winner announced at the annual black-tie awards banquet Dec. 9 at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach.

May 6th

Former Buff Ryan Miller to Browns: “I’ll give you my all”

When the 2011 All-Pac-12 teams were announced, Colorado offensive lineman Ryan Miller was not listed on the first team …

… or the second.

A fifth round pick of the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL draft, Miller has promised Brown fans that he will “play to the whistle”.

In an interview with CantonRep.com, Miller endeared himself to Browns fans when he said, after they picked him in Round 5, that he plays that way no matter the weather. “I try to play nasty … vicious … until the whistle blows,” he said. “I might not be the most technically sound, but I’ll give you my all and I’ll bleed, bite, crawl and scratch to get the job done.”

As one draft website put it: “Miller was a lone bright spot on an abysmal Colorado offense.” According to SI.com, Miller gave up just five sacks in 3,320 career snaps. Browns scouts pegged him as a fighter who never gave up on his team.

“To play for the black and gold, it means a lot,” Miller told the Denver Post the week of that final game against Utah. “I’ve really grown up as a person.

“You understand priorities, what holds more value. That goes for football, as a college student, in life.

“This is where I wanted to play since I started watching college football. I’d do it again.

“The record hasn’t shown the fun we have had as a team. It’s been a blast playing college football.”

And Buff fans now have a reason to check in on the Cleveland Browns this fall.

Good luck, Ryan!

May 4th

CSU football players expelled

Three Colorado State football players, though only charged with misdemeanors by the police, have nonetheless been expelled from school.

According to the Coloradoan … Nordly Capi, Mike Orakpo and Colton Paulhus are expelled from the university, effective Monday, May 7, a university spokesman said in a statement. All three were members of the football team at Colorado State University.

CSU’s Office of Conflict Resolution & Student Conduct Services made the decision to expel those students. Although there is an appeals process, and the deadline to request an appeal is May 15, expulsion in the Student Conduct Code means a permanent removal from the university. A notification of the expulsion will be on each former student’s transcript, which cannot be removed.

In a statement, CSU Athletic Director Jack Graham said the reports about the fight were “disturbing and unacceptable,” and publicly vowed to run an above-board department.

“Virtually every student-athlete and coach is horrified, angry and embarrassed by the actions of these few. With me, our student-athletes and coaches have accepted responsibility for these actions and for doing all we can to root out this behavior to the extent it may still exist,” Graham said in a statement distributed by the president’s office. “As AD, I want to make it absolutely clear that we have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior by our student athletes.”

So … the Ft. Collins police department wouldn’t charge the players with more than a misdemeanor … the athletic department refused to be proactive … but the school wasn’t about to let the status of the players affect the resolution of their status.

The resolution allows new head coach Jim McElwain to avoid having to make a tough choice – but it also leaves a big hole in his defense.

From CSU website:

Nordly Capi … Talented true sophomore, played in 12 games with seven starts…Garnered Sports Illustrated honorable-mention All-America honors, as the first CSU All-American since Kyle Bell and Jimmie Kaylor in 2005…Also earned first-team all-conference accolades (MW media, Phil Steele), becoming the youngest CSU player with that distinction since All-American Greg Myers in 1993…Became the first CSU player to lead the Mountain West in sacks, ranking ninth in the nation with 0.83 per game…Also paced the league with 0.58 forced fumbles per contest (second in the country behind Illinois’ Mercilus Whitney),and ranked seventh with 0.96 tackles for loss…Had 34 tackles (25 solo) and led the Rams in tackles for loss (11½), sacks (10) and forced fumbles (7)…His 10 sacks tied for No. 5 on the Rams’ all-time single-season list, the most in 13 years, since future Super Bowl champions Joey Porter (14) and Clark Haggans (10) in 1998.

Mike Orakpo … A key cog in the CSU defense, played in all 12 games, with 11 starts…A third-team all-conference choice (Phil Steele), finished ninth in the conference with 7.2 tackles per game…Ranked third on the team with 87 tackles (49 solo), including three tackles for loss…Also broke up a pass and picked off another…Made his first career appearance in the starting lineup in season-opening win at New Mexico (Sept. 3), and on CSU’s first 2011 snap, threw QB Tarean Austin for a 3-yard loss.

Colton Paulhus … After transferring to CSU over the winter, worked his way into the defensive-line rotation; wound up playing in 12 games, primarily on special teams…Served as a key protector on the punt-protection unit…Played in his first Division I contest in season-opening win at New Mexico (Sept. 3)…Saw action at defensive end in the home-opening win over Northern Colorado (Sept. 10), sharing a tackle for loss…Saw action at defensive end in losses vs. No. 5 Boise State (Oct. 15), at UTEP (Oct. 22) and at UNLV (Oct. 29).

May 1st

Way paved for CU’s “Transformational” project?

On April 17th, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn acknowledged the university’s plans for the largest athletics facilities upgrade in history in and around Folsom Field.

Bohn said he plans a formal announcement of the “transformational” project in September.

Now it may be a step closer to reality …

On Tuesday, Denver based Cordillera Energy Partners III, LLC announced the closing of its merger into Apache Corporation of Houston, Texas. Incorporating additional acreage and drilling since the merger was announced, Apache paid Cordillera $3.1 Billion comprised of $600 Million in common shares and $2.5 Billion in cash. With this closing, the shareholders of Cordillera will hold approximately 1.6% of Apache’s outstanding common shares.

What does that announcement have to do with the facilities upgrade?

Read on.

Cordillera III was the third enterprise formed by George H. Solich, President and CEO, and his senior management team.

Solich, as many of you know, is the CU donor the Buff Nation is hoping will be the multi-million dollar contributor to the facilities upgrade.

And George Solich just had a very good May Day …

April 30th

Vote in CU poll to name Top 12 Buffs

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the University of Colorado’s first All-American in football, Byron “Whizzer” White, KOA and CUBuffs.com are conducting a fan competition to select 12 of the best players since White to wear the Buffalo uniform.

CUBuffs.com has broken down the candidates into six groups, and fans will select two from each to “share the spotlight.” Thus two players from the following areas will be voted on to come up with a dozen Buffaloes since 1937 who have excelled at their positions: offensive skill (quarterback, tailback and receiver), offensive line (tackle, guard, center and tight end), defensive line (end, tackle, nose guard), linebacker (inside/outside), defensive back and specialists.

For a player to be listed in a group, he must have been named a first- or second team All-American, earned multiple first-team All-Conference honors, had a distinguished NFL career, or be at or very near the top on CU’s all-time statistical lists.

Here is a link to the poll

Here is how I voted (you can vote for two in each category). Feel free to completely disagree:

Offensive skill: Kordell Stewart; Eric Bieniemy

Offensive line: Andre Gurode; Jay Leeuwenburg (Joe Garten would be a very close third)

Defensive line: Joel Steed: Tyler Brayton

Linebacker (impossibly hard category): Alfred Williams; Matt Russell

Secondary (almost as difficult): Deon Figures; Dick Anderson (though I didn’t see Anderson play. Of players I’ve seen play, I would put in Victor Scott)

Specialists: Mason Crosby; Barry Helton

What do you think?

Oregon quarterback without an NFL contract

Darron Thomas, who gave up his final season of eligibility at Oregon to go pro, remains unsigned.

He left Eugene as UO’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (66). He was also sixth in total offense (6,633 yards) and seventh in passing yards (5,910).

Thomas went undrafted, and did not sign a free-agent contract with any NFL team. Thomas has been offered the opportunity to mini-camps by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, with a chance to try out for those teams.

April 28th

Ryan Miller and Toney Clemons drafted … Other Buffs sign as free agents

Ryan Miller

“With the 25th pick of the 5th round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select … Ryan Miller, offensive lineman, Colorado”.

The Browns took Miller with the 160th overall pick, in a selection acquired from the Denver Broncos. Miller said earlier this week that he believed he was able to change some opinions about his ability in February at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was the only Buff invited there this year. “People knew I was a big body, but they weren’t sure I could move,” he said. “I think I really proved a lot of that at the combine. … I’m thankful for wherever this opportunity is. It’s not one that many people get and I’m trying to make the most of it.”

Miller’s selection marks the seventh consecutive year that at least one CU Buff has been taken in the NFL draft. Since Colorado was last shut out of the draft, in 2005,  at least two Buffs have been taken in every draft except for the 2009 draft, when linebacker Brad Jones (seventh round, Green Bay) was the only Buff chosen.

“I’m thankful for it . . . I’m a Brown now and I couldn’t be happier,” Miller said. “It’s a dream come true; every kid whoever puts on a helmet wants to play in the NFL.”

Miller’s first look from the Browns will come at right tackle, then on the left side, then possibly at either guard. He reports to Cleveland on May 10 for rookie orientation, then minicamp.

“I’m an offensive lineman,” Miller said. “l’ll play wherever I need to play, wherever they need me.” 

Colorado has a long history with the Cleveland, with Miller becoming the 15th Buff to be selected by the Browns. In the past 20 seasons, five other Buffs have been late round selections by Cleveland: Rico Smith, wide receiver (6th round, 1992); Darrin Chiaverini, wide receiver (5th round, 1999); Brad Bedell, guard (6th round, 2000); Rashidi Barnes, safety (seventh round, 2000); and Lawrence Vickers, running back (6th round, 2006).

The highest round of any CU player chosen by the Cleveland Browns? None other than Dave Logan, chosen in the third round by the Browns in 1976.

Toney Clemons

“With the 24th pick in the 7th round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select … Toney Clemons, wide receiver, Colorado”.

The Steelers took Clemons with the 231st overall pick. Clemons, a Pennsylvania prep star (heading home!), came to Colorado as a transfer from Michigan, but did not initially live up to expectations. Still, Clemons finished strong, completing his CU career 17th in all-time receiving yards (1,162) and tied for 18th in all-time receptions (86), with his 11 touchdown receptions tied for the ninth most.  When he reached the 1,000-yard plateau, he became the 22nd player in school annals to do so.  His 11 touchdown catches covered 284 total yards, or 25.8 per score.  He became the first player to play in the Big 10, Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences in his career with CU’s switch to the latter in 2011.  At the conclusion of the 2011 season, Clemons was named by the coaches as the co-recipient (with QB Tyler Hansen) of CU’s John Mack Award as the team’s most outstanding offensive player.

Clemons ended his senior season with a flourish, making 25 receptions in the final give games for 476 yards (19 yards per catch) and five touchdowns.

Clemons, a Pittsburgh native, grew up “loving the Steelers” and called being drafted by them “a complete shock . . . this is such a blessing.” He was told Pittsburgh was contemplating taking him in the fifth round, but selected another player. Then, without a sixth round pick, the Steelers came back to him in round seven.

He said the final month and a half of his college career opened Saturday’s door: “It didn’t matter what I tested, what my measurables were . . . making plays against the teams I did, that was huge for me. (Pittsburgh) said, ‘Let’s put tape on him against great competition’ – and I had that run of six of seven games. And then coach (Jon) Embree, coach (Eric) Bieniemy and coach (Rip) Scherer took a stand for me. I wouldn’t be in this position without them.”

Clemons said he plans to “go in with the same positive attitude and get on as many (special) teams as I can . . . they’ve got a lot of great guys there. But I plan on working and doing whatever I can to stay.”

Clemons becomes the 12th Buff selected by Pittsburgh, but there was a time in the 1990′s when the black-and-gold lineup of the Steelers was filled with the black-and-gold of Colorado. Between 1991 and 1998, six Buffs were selected by Pittsburgh, including four in the first two rounds. The 1990′s Buffs who were drafted by Pittsburgh: Ariel Solomon, offensive tackle (10th round, 1991); Joel Steed, defensive lineman, (third round, 1992); Deon Figures, cornerback (first round, 1993); Chad Brown, linebacker (third round, 1993); Charles E. Johnson, wide receiver (first round, 1994); Kordell Stewart, quarterback (second round, 1995); Ryan Olson, defensive lineman, (sixth round, 1998).

Of the 24 all-time first-round draft picks in CU history, three of them were chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to Deon Figures and Charles E. Johnson, above, the Steelers chose one Byron “Whizzer” White with the fourth overall pick of the 1938 NFL draft.

Free Agent Buffs

Colorado graduated 28 players this past season. Only two were drafted, leaving others to try and catch on with other teams as free agents. Below is a list of CU seniors who are reporting to have signed with NFL teams:

Quarterback Tyler Hansen – Cincinnati Bengals

Running back Rodney Stewart – Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive lineman Conrad Obi – Arizona Cardinals

Others …

Former CU running back Darrell Scott – Dallas Cowboys

UCLA wide receiver Tyler Embree – San Diego Chargers

Infamous Oregon speedster Cliff Harris – Philadelphia Eagles

Washington running back Chris Polk – Philadelphia Eagles

Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore (50-3 in his collegiate career) – Detroit Lions

Colorado State offensive lineman Paul Madsen – Buffalo Bills

Colorado State running back Raymond Carter – Jacksonville Jaguars

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Cincinnati Bengals

Not for the Faint of Heart

Six straight losing seasons … A 3-10 record in 2011 … No offensive skill position starters returning … Best player on the team, Paul Richardson, already lost for the season due to injury … A defensive line so thin the team couldn’t even conduct a normal spring game … A team ranked 100th or worse last season in rushing offense, scoring offense, total defense, scoring defense, punt returns and kickoff returns …

Need I go on?

Unfortunately, the preseason prognosticators will have no choice but to go on … and on. With pages to fill in their preseason magazines, it will be hard to find an optimistic tone in any 2012 predictions. The odds of Colorado cracking the Top 25 are astronomical (Las Vegas has the chances of CU winning the national championship pegged at 500-to-1, odds similar to teams like Hawai’i, Syracuse and Nevada), so don’t look for any preseason picks to buck the trend and consider the Buffs to be a title contending team.

Still, the beat goes on, and the predictions are coming out. Below is a repository for what is being said …

May 18th

ESPN Power rankings put Colorado at No. 12

Ted Miller of ESPN.com has posted his “Pac-12 post-spring power rankings“, and, not surprisingly, Colorado came in at No. 12.

“12. Colorado: The most crushing injury this spring was Buffaloes WR Paul Richardson blowing out his knee. On the plus side, the offensive line looks solid, and Tony Jones stepped up at running back. If everyone stays — or gets — healthy, the linebackers will be first-rate. And DE Chidera Uzo-Diribe could be a breakout player. But there are huge questions at receiver, on the defensive line and in the secondary. Colorado may play as many freshmen as any team in the country this year.”

Miller ranks the top four at USC, Oregon, Stanford and Utah … with Oregon State, Arizona and Arizona State joining the Buffs at the bottom of the conference.

May 17th

Phil Steele doesn’t see any All-Americans on Buff roster

Phil Steele magazine has released its picks for 2012 All-Americans. Steele goes down to four teams, but no Buffs make the roster.

Out of the Pac-12, nine teams are represented, with Arizona, Washington and Colorado the only teams shut out. USC has three first-team All-American candidates in quarterback Matt Barkley, wide receiver Robert Woods, and safety T.J. McDonald. Washington State (wide receiver Marquess Wilson), Utah (defensive tackle Star Lotulelei) and Stanford (linebacker Shayne Skov) also had first team honorees.

Overall, USC led the league with five picks, while Stanford and Oregon had three each.

May 10th

Embree still getting no respect

Talk about piling on.

Athlon, The Sporting News, and ESPN have all rated Colorado head coach Jon Embree as the worst coach in the Pac-12 … but it gets worse.

The Sporting News has posted its overall rankings of all 124 FBS coaches, and Jon Embree comes in at No. 106. Embree is not only last amongst Pac-12 coaches, but, according to TSN, ranks above only three other BCS conference coaches – Doug Marrone (17-20 in three years at Syracuse), Frank Spaziani (20-19 in three years at Boston College), and Kevin Wilson (1-11 in his debut at Indiana last fall).

In the Pac-12, Embree is closest to Todd Graham, the new head coach at Arizona State, who rates a No. 75 ranking.

Other notes from the rankings …

May 5th

The Orlando Sentinel does an annual countdown of teams, starting with No. 120. It would be nice to get into June or July before appearing, but the Buffs are already on the list, at No. 99. Ranked just ahead of Colorado is Mississippi (2-10, 0-8 in the SEC in 2011), while just behind, at No. 100, is New Mexico State (4-9, 2-5 in the WAC last season).

The only teams on the Buffs’ 2012 schedule ranked behind Colorado are CU’s first three opponents: Colorado State (No. 105); Fresno State (No. 109); and Sacramento State (a 1-AA school, and No. 121 by default).

Part of what the Sentinel had to say:

Strengths: With only 10 returning starters, experience will be at a premium for this team this season. That being said, the defensive unit returns six starters including linebacker Jon Major, who was the team’s leading tackler in 2011. Major, along with Douglas Rippy and Derrick Webb make up the most experience part of the squad: linebackers. Ray Polk, who was tied for second on the team in total tackles (80) and interceptions (1), leads the secondary. The offensive line returns three starters including center Gus Handler. That group will be called upon to provide support to an inexperienced offense.

Weaknesses: Plain and simple, the offense is going to take a huge step back this season with the loss of Tyler Hansen and Rodney Stewart. The pair combined for over 3,500 yards of total offense and 27 touchdowns last season. Nick Hirschman was expected to be the leading candidate for the starting job but the sophomore broke his foot in the spring opening the door for Connor Wood. It could be Wood’s job to lose. Tony Jones will step up in the run department. The New Jersey freshman rushed for 297 yards and two touchdowns as a backup to Stewart.

Outlook: Colorado fans will need lots of patience over this next season as Embree continues to mold this team into his vision. With only 10 returning starters from a three-win squad, it’s not going to be pretty for much of the year. However, with lots of young talent on this team, the Buffaloes can set the stage for bigger and better things in the future. Colorado needs to hope for a quick start to the season with some winnable games against Colorado State, Sacramento State and Fresno State because after that, the schedule gets much tougher with road games at USC and at Oregon along with home contests against Stanford, Washington and Utah.

Other rankings …

ESPN, Athlon and The Sporting News have issued their ranking of Pac-12 coaches. Colorado’s Jon Embree, entering his second season in Boulder after a 3-10 start, is ranked last by all three.

Here’s what The Sporting News had to say about Jon Embree:

May 13th

Colorado State picks up third off-the-radar commit

While Jim McElwain may prove to be a recruiting genius, the evidence is certainly not on his side to date.

The 2012 recruiting Class was certainly not all the doing of McElwain, who was busy until January 9th coaching at Alabama. Still, the first Class of the McElwain era consisted of 21 players, three of whom merited three stars, eight which were two stars, and ten players which were unrated (Rivals ratings). According to Rivals, CSU’s Class of 2012 was ranked 120th out of 120 Division 1-A schools.

Now that McElwain has become entrenched in Ft. Collins, how is the Class of 2013 coming along?

This past weekend, Colorado State picked up commitment No. 3, Trae Moxley, a 6’4″, 260-pound tight end from Roaring Fork high in Colorado. Moxley was the leading receiver for a 3-7 Class 2A program last fall, and does not show up in the database at either Rivals or Scout.

Moxley joins Jake Bennett, a Bear Creek offensive lineman, and Austin Berk, a defensive end from Grand Junction, on the Rams’ recruiting list. Bennett had an offer from Wyoming, while Berk had offers from Air Force and South Dakota State. Neither of these players have been rated by Rivals, though Austin Berk does show up as a three-star prospect on Scout’s website.

It’s a long road from Tuscaloosa to Ft. Collins.

A long road indeed.

CU Junior Day – Spring Game Attendees

As official visits from the recruits of the Class of 2013 will not – cannot – begin until the fall, Junior Days are, by definition, “unofficial visits”. This being the case, schools do not release lists of junior who attend practices and spring practices. It is left to the recruiting services to gather information on potential visitors. BuffStampede.com is the best at giving us names, and below are some of the names which are being bandied about as possible visitors this week.

Head coach Jon Embree said on Monday that there may as many as 50 prospects on campus for Junior Day, with as many as 35 coming from out of state. As many names as can be identified will be profiled below.

Posted below - Quarterbacks; running backs; wide receivers/tight ends; offensive linemen; and linebackers …

Linebackers

Colorado did not sign any linebackers as part of the large recruiting Class of 2012. That being said, in the CU defensive scheme, often it is difficult to see much difference between a rush defense end and an outside linebacker on one end of the scale, as well as the difference between some of the Buffs’ weakside linebackers and their nickel backs and safeties. Some of the nine defensive linemen signed last February may become linebackers, as may some of the nine defensive backs who also became Buffs on Signing Day.

Still, in the small senior class of 2012, Colorado will be losing two significant contributors, Doug Rippy and Jon Major. It would be a surprise if Colorado did not sign 2-4 linebackers next February. Perhaps as many as a dozen linebacker recruits will be in Boulder for Junior Days this weekend. Here are some of the top recruits CU coaches are hoping to sign:

Peyton Pelluer… is a three-star linebacker prospect from Sammamish, Washington. Pelluer is 6’2″, 235-pounds, and had 329 tackles the past two seasons (263 solo), leading the state of Washington in tackles both seasons. Colorado was the first to offer Pelluer, who has since picked up offers from Washington State, Arizona State, and Wyoming. Pelluer has already taken an unofficial visit to Washington State, and liked what he saw. “I really like what they’re doing over there,” Pelluer told CougFan.com. “And I truly believe they’re going to have success there…The situation over there with the players being comfortable with one another and the coaches, Coach Leach and the middle linebacker depth, that I have lots of friends that go there — all of those things play into it, that they’re my leading school right now.” Rivals bio Scout bio

Patrick Healy … is an unrated linebacker prospect from Mullen high in Denver. Healy is 6’1″, 222-pounds, and runs a 4.9 in the 40. Healy does not have any scholarship offers at this time, though he does report interest from Air Force, Arizona State, UConn, Villanova and Nebraska. Other schools on Healy’s radar include Northwestern, UCLA, and Washington. Healy had one other brother play football for UConn, while another brother is at the Air Force Academy. Healy reports having regular contact with CU linebackers’ coach Brian Cabral, as well as a friendship with former teammate – and current Buff sophomore linebacker – Brady Daigh. Rivals bio Scout bio

Castille Bayers … is an unrated linebacker prospect from Mullen high in Denver. Bayers has about the same build as his teammate, Patrick Healy, coming in at 6’2″, 220-pounds, with a 4.81 time in the 40. Bayers is looking to Colorado for his first scholarship offer, though San Diego State seems to have been having the most contact. Duke and Arizona State are showing interest, as are Mountain West schools UNLV, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Bayers also reports a desire to play in the Pac-12 or Mountain West conferences, so that he can play games closer to home (San Diego State joined the Big East in December). Rivals bio

George Frazier … is an unrated linebacker prospect from Monrovia, California. Frazier is 6’2, 230-pounds, and had 84 tackles in his junior season. A first-team all-league, all-CIIF and all-area selection as a junior, Frazier spends time playing both outside linebacker and defensive end for Monrovia. Frazier currently holds offers from Colorado and San Jose State, though he does have interest from Cal, Washington, Oregon State and UCLA from the Pac-12, as well as from schools like Auburn, San Diego State, and Florida State. “Colorado is good,” Frazier told BuffStampede.com. “Being the first big school to offer gives them a little advantage because it shows they really do want me, I am not just a back-up to them. I am definitely considering playing for them.” Rivals bio Scout bio

Griffith Gates … is an unrated linebacker from Pleasanton, California. Frazier is 6’3″, 228-pounds, and is considered by Rivals to be a defensive end prospect.  Gates already has a number of honors on his resume: All-State Class of 2013 Team – 2nd Team (ESPN High School / Cal-Hi Sports – voted by state writers); All-East Bay Team – 2nd Team (Bay Area News Group – voted by regional writers); All-League Team – 1st Team (East Bay Athletic League – voted by coaches); Invited to the Semper Fidelis All-American Proving Ground National Combine in Phoenix. Gates received the most 1st Team votes (DL) from the EBAL coaches and was named to the 2nd Team All-East Bay Defensive Team (Bay Area News Group). He was also the recipient of his team’s Outstanding Defensive Lineman Award. As Foothill’s starting Fullback, he was their leading rusher and had nearly a 5.0 yards per carry average and 10 touchdowns (125 – 623 – 10). Gates is still looking for his first scholarship offer, but he has attended a football camp at UCLA, and has interest from all over the country, with teams like Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin on his radar. From the Pac-12, CU may be competing with Cal, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA and Washington for Gates’ services. Rivals bio Scout bio

Connor O’Brien … is a three-star linebacker prospect from Rancho Santa Margarita, California (and is the fourth player from that team visiting Boulder this weekend, joining offensive linemen Riley Sorenson, center Dane Crane, and quarterback Johnny Stanton, all profiled below). O’Brien is 6’4″, 205-pounds, and runs a 4.6 in the 40, which might make O’Brien a likely candidate to move to safety in college. O’Brien was named 1st team all-Trinity League and 1st team All-Orange County following his junior season, leading the CIF-SS Pac-5 Division in interceptions with eight, finishing second in the state in that category. O’Brien reports offers from five Pac-12 schools, including Oregon, Cal, Oregon State, and Washington State in addition to Colorado. The Buffs might have an “in” with O’Brien, as he has family connections on the Colorado football team – his father and an uncle both played for the Buffaloes. Rivals bio Scout bio

Offensive Linemen

Colorado loses only one offensive lineman after this fall, right guard Ryan Dannewitz. Unlike the defensive line, which remains imbalanced, the CU offensive line is fairly well aligned, with three juniors, four sophomores, two red-shirt freshmen, and three true freshmen on the roster. Even with the overall lack of available scholarships, it would be a surprise if the Buffs do not try to pick up 2-3 offensive linemen next February.

Robert McGee … is a three-star offensive tackle prospect from Westlake Village, California (if the hometown sounds familiar, it is also the home of CU wide receiver Nelson Spruce and 2012 defensive tackle Johnny Stuart). McGee is seen by Rivals as an offensive tackle, while Scout rates McGee as a center. McGee has already been selected to play in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and has been named ESPN top 150 for 2013. McGee is still looking for offers, but has interest from a number of schools, including Oregon, Stanford, USC and UCLA from the Pac-12, along with Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa from the Big Ten. Rivals bio Scout bio 

Riley Sorenson… is a three-star offensive tackle from Rancho Santa Margarita, California (and the teammate of center Dane Crane and quarterback Johnny Stanton – bios below). Sorenson is rated by Scout as being the No. 41 offensive tackle in the nation. “I’m going to Colorado this Saturday for an unofficial visit,” Sorenson told Scout.com. “This will be my first time seeing the school and I’m really looking forward to it. They were my first offer so I’m excited for the visit.” Sorenson either has visited or will visit Washington, UCLA, and USC. “Right now, I’m just riding the process out and there’s a chance I could make an early commitment. It just depends on how the process is going and how I’m feeling after these visits.” Rivals bio Scout bio

Dan Skipper … is a three-star offensive tackle from Arvada, Colorado. Skipper is hard to miss, being 6’10″, 280-pounds, and is special importance to the Buff Nation. Skipper will likely rate as one of the top players out of the state of Colorado this recruiting cycle, so his choice of schools will be closely watched. Skipper has offers from all over the nation, from Vanderbilt to Duke to Missouri. From the Pac-12, Skipper has offers from Arizona State, Oregon State, Utah, and both Washington schools. Rivals bio Scout bio

Skipper also has, notably, has an offer from Colorado State. “It was good,” Skipper told GoldandGreenNews.com after taking in Junior Days in Ft. Collins. “We met with some of the players that were there and the coaches, and then we toured the facilities. I talked with Coach Mac at the end as well as (offensive line) Coach Frazier.

“I want to play at a place that has a great game day atmosphere and where I can get a top flight education. I also want to play for someone that can get me to the next level.” … That should eliminate Colorado State, which averaged 21,867 (67% of capacity, despite home games against local rivals Air Force and Wyoming).

Cameron Hunt … is a three-star offensive tackle from Corona, California. Hunt is 6’5″, 270-pounds, and has offers from Arizona, Duke, and Washington State. Hunt has visited other schools in search of offers, most notably UCLA. Hunt reports that he is also hearing from Oregon, Missouri, Utah and Stanford. Rivals bio Scout bio

“ASU is the early leader,” Hunt told Rivals.com. “I don’t know about Duke yet because I haven’t gone to their campus yet. Colorado and Washington State are also really good programs and I’m going up to Colorado for its spring game. I don’t know when I can get up there but if I take my five officials I’d like to take one to Washington State to check out that campus.”

Dane Crane … is a three-star center prospect from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Despite only receiving three-stars, Crane is rated by both Rivals and Scout as the No. 4 center prospect in the nation. Crane is the teammate of quarterback Johnny Stanton, who is also visiting Boulder this weekend (bio below). Crane currently only has offers from Colorado and Washington, though that is likely to change. Florida State and San Diego State are possibilities, as are the Oregon schools and the LA schools. Rivals bio Scout bio 

“(With Colorado) I’ve talked with all the coaches on the phone,” Crane told Rivals.com. “I met coach (Steve) Marshall my sophomore year. He came out for spring practice. That’s where the relationship was established. I’m really excited to get out to campus, meet face-to-face and see if it’s a place where I could fit in.”

Wide Receivers / Tight ends

The Buffs have a four-star tight end, Mitchell Parsons (see bio, below), already on the commitment list, but it is no secret that the Buffs are still in need of more talent and speed at the wideout positions.

Harrison Handley … is a three-star wide receiver/tight end from Sandy, Utah. Rivals has Handley, who is 6’6″, 200-pounds, as a wide receiver prospect, while Scout sees Handley as a future tight end (assuming he can put on a great deal more bulk without losing any speed). To date, Handley only has offers from in-state schools BYU and Utah State, but may pick up an offer from CU coaches if he passes the eye test while taking his unofficial visit this weekend. Rivals bio Scout bio

Mitchell Parsons … already a CU commit

Just the facts … Committed March 30th … Parsons is a tight end prospect from Parker (Chaparral) Colorado. Parsons is 6’5″, 220-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others say about Parsons … Parsons is considered to be a four-star prospect by Rivals, but is not yet rated by Scout (although Scout does have Parsons as one of the top five tight ends in the West). Parsons is considered to be the No. 11 tight end in the nation by Rivals. Last season Parsons, like Phillip Lindsay, was one of five juniors named the Denver Post All-state team, all in his first year playing the position. A player evaluation from Scout had this to say about Parsons: “Parsons lines all over the field and plays a lot as a wide out but projects as a tight end. He has very good hands, as good as anyone in the region and shows excellent body control as well. He adjusts well to balls high and behind him and has a large catch radius. He also shows surprising athleticism and can make plays down the field. He’s a physical kid, very tough and should be a solid blocker in college.”

Running backs

Colorado already has one running back commit from the Class of 2013, Phillip Lindsay (bio below), but that does not mean the search is over.

Terrell Newby … is a three-star running  back from West Hills, California. Rivals rates Newby as the No. 31 running back in the nation, while Scout sees Newby as the No. 42 running back nationally. Even though it is fairly early in the recruiting season, Newby already has offers from much of the Pac-12, including: Oregon; Arizona State; Washington State: Utah; and Oregon State (Newby also has an offer from Nebraska). Rivals bio Scout bio  

Newby has already been making the rounds, and plans to continue checking out schools this spring and summer. “I’ll be going to USC’s camp during the summer and I’m going to one of their spring practices,” Newby told Scout.com. “UCLA’s running back coach, Coach (Steve) Broussard, wants me to come to their camp and their spring practices as well and I went to their Junior Day. I also went to Cal’s Junior Day and had a good time there too.” Next month, Newby is heading to Colorado and Oregon to take unofficial visits. “On April 14th, I’m headed to Colorado and I’m also going to Oregon some time next month,” said Newby. (Although it should be noted that HuskerOnline.com has a quote from Newby that he was planning on heading to Lincoln this weekend).

Phillip Lindsay … already a CU Commit

Just the facts … Committed March 22nd … Lindsay is a running back prospect from Denver South high. Lindsay is 5’10″, 173-pounds, and runs a 4.49 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio ESPN bio 

What other say about Lindsay … Lindsay is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but is not yet rated by Scout. A three-year starter, Lindsay has already rushed for 4,288 yards and recorded nearly 300 tackles during his prep career at Denver South. Lindsay was one of four juniors named first-team all-state at the 5A classification by the Denver Post in December. Lindsay was voted First Team West Metro All-Conference at running back, and was also named to the second team as a linebacker. Lindsay’s 9.2 yards per carry average in 2011 was third best among 5A backs with at least 153 carries. In seven of 10 games in 2011, Lindsay rushed for more than 163 yards, with the junior accumulating 1,763 and 13 touchdowns on the season. He had a 300-yard, four-touchdown performance in the Rebels’ 64-13 victory over Lincoln in mid-October. Lindsay also returns punts, returns kicks and starts at linebacker for Denver South (ESPN is listing Lindsay as a cornerback prospect, but he is being recruited by Colorado as a running back).

Quarterbacks 

Colorado head coach Jon Embree has been quoted as saying that he expects to recruit a quarterback with each class, and the Class of 2013 should be no different. The Buffs have offered a number of high-profile quarterbacks, including several which may be patrolling the sidelines of Folsom Field for the Spring game.

Sefo Liufau … is a four-star quarterback from Tacoma, Washington. Rivals rates Liufau as the No. 12 quarterback in the nation, and No. 196 on its list of top 250 players in the nation. Colorado was the first to offer Liufau, though the pro-style quarterback has interest from all over the country, including both in-state Pac-12 schools, both Oregon schools, Stanford, Alabama, Notre Dame and Nebraska. Rivals bio Scout bio

Liufau has already taken an unofficial visit to Washington State, and likes what he sees with new head coach Mike Leach. “He is a great guy,” Liufau told Scout.com. “That was the first time I have met him. From the small time talking to him, I can tell he is a great guy. The whole staff is fired up, they have big plans over there. They are looking to do damage in the Pac-12.” Still, Colorado is the first school to make Liufau an offer. “Coach Embree is a great coach and seems ready to turn the program around this year,” said Liufau.

Conner Manning … is a three-star quarterback from Lake Forest, California. Manning is 6’2″, 195-pounds, and is considered a pro-style quarterback. Last season, in leading his team to a league championship, Manning, in 14 games, went 327-of-527 (62%) for 4,129 yards and 41 touchdowns, with only 8 interceptions. Manning’s 4,129 yards set a county record. Not a big deal … until you know that the previous record holder, with 3,560 yards, was USC quarterback (and Heisman front-runner) Matt Barkley.  Just this past week, Manning earned quarterback MVP honors at Sunday’s Southern California Nike Football Training Camp. Rivals bio Scout bio

As of yet, Manning does not have any known offers from any schools (including Colorado) though he does have interest from a number of schools. Wisconsin and Hawai’i are recruiting Manning, as are several Pac-12 schools, including USC, Oregon State, and Utah.

Johnny Stanton… is a three-star quarterback from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Rivals rates Stanton as the No. 20 pro-style quarterback prospect in the nation, while Scout rates Stanton at No. 36. As a 2011 junior, Stanton threw for 2,439 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions while rushing for 1,528 yards and 25 touchdowns and led the Eagles to the CIF-SS Pac-5 title and the CIF State D-I title. Rivals bio Scout bio 

Stanton already has offers from Cal, Air Force and Washington, with numerous other offers expected this spring. Stanton plans on making the rounds in the state of Colorado this April, visiting CU, Colorado State, and Air Force. Stanton has already visited Cal for the Bears’ junior days, and came away impressed. “Cal is a great program and has been at the forefront from the conference as long as I can remember,” Stanton told Scout.com. “I attended Junior Day and really liked it a lot there. They’re rebuilding the stadium and the facilities and weight room are incredible … My (high school) quarterback coach, Nate Longshore, went to Cal and he has told me a lot about the school”. Despite Cal’s “in” with Stanton, the junior has pledged to keep an open mind this recruiting season, and claims to have no favorites at this time.

CU Junior Days – Part One

March 24th

A few other names have surfaced who were in attendance at the first Junior Day held last weekend.

Mitchell Parsons … is a four-star tight end prospect from Chaparral high in Parker, Colorado. Parsons is rated by Rivals as the No. 11 tight end prospect in the nation by Rivals. Parsons currently only has offers from Mississippi and Colorado, but Parsons has interest from all over the nation, including Michigan, Nebraska, BYU, Washington, Cal, Stanford, Vanderbilt, the Oklahoma schools and the Arizona schools.

Parsons was in Boulder last weekend, and told Scout.com that the Buffs have been putting in a great deal of time with him and he’s intrigued by the idea of playing for a head coach, Jon Embree, who was a tight end. “I really like Coach Embree and Coach (J.D.) Brookhart,” said Parsons. “They really like using the tight end position and they both have a lot of experience using the tight end so that stands out to me. Plus they’re close to home and I think they’re really on their way up. And I’ve been there a bunch.”

Here is what one scout had to say about Parsons: “Parsons lines all over the field and plays a lot as a wide out but projects as a tight end. He has very good hands, as good as anyone in the region and shows excellent body control as well. He adjusts well to balls high and behind him and has a large catch radius. He also shows surprising athleticism and can make plays down the field. He’s a physical kid, very tough and should be a solid blocker in college.”

While Parsons likes Colorado, he has told recruiting services that he is enjoying the recruiting process, and is not expected to make a commitment anytime soon.

Austin Berk… is a defensive end prospect from Grand Junction. Berk is not yet rated by either Rivals or Scout. Berk committed to Colorado State Friday. The 6-5 235 pound defender was one of Colorado’s leaders in sacks posting 10.5 this past season. Possessing great size, solid speed and a strong motor, Berk was being pursued by multiple schools.

Regarding the Rams and his commit Berk said, “It just felt like the place for me.” Addressing the early verbal Berk states, “I was just ready.” At CSU Berk will most likely put his pass rushing skills to work as a hybrid defensive end/ outside linebacker.

Colorado has not extended an offer to Berk, though if it does, Berk may reconsider. Berk grew up cheering for the Buffs, as his father, Mike, lettered playing guard for Chuck Fairbanks in 1981.

Trenton Noeller … is a center prospect who is a member of the recruiting Class of 2014. Presently a sophomore at Windsor high school, Noeller is already attracting attention nationally. Neoller was in Boulder for the first Junior Day, and will be back for the Buffs’ Big Man Camp this summer.

March 17th

With all of the attention from the Buff Nation focused on the Buffs’ run in the NCAA tournament, the first week of spring practices for the CU football team have gone by all but unnoticed.

Here’s hoping that the enthusiasm for all things Buff spilled over onto the CU practices fields on Saturday, as Colorado hosted the first of two Junior Days. As many as ten local high school juniors took in the first spring scrimmage Saturday, the second practice for the Buffs in pads (the first was on Thursday. Previously, the Buffs were in shorts and helmets).

One prospect in attendance was running back Phillip Lindsay, from Denver South high. Lindsay is 5’10″, 173-pounds, and runs a 4.49 in the 40. Lindsay figures to be one of the top-10 recruits in the state in the 2013 cycle. He already has rushed for more than 4,000 yards in his prep career as a three-year starter.  Last season, Lindsay earned all-state honors as a junior in 2011 after rushing for nearly 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also starred on defense and racked up 110 tackles on the season. Rivals bio Scout bio 

“Right now, CU and CSU have been on me hard, but as of now I’m thinking about verbally committing to CU” Lindsay told BuffStampede.com this past week. “But I want to keep my options open because I also have CSU in mind and I’m young right now. So, I’m trying to be patient on everything.”

The majority of junior prospects from the Class of 2013 are expected for the Buffs’ Spring game, to be conducted April 14th. 

If I can get the names of some other visiting juniors from Saturday, I will post their biographies here …

March 6th

CU offers another four-star quarterback

A day after listing the three high-profile quarterbacks Colorado has offered from the Class of 2013 (Max Browne, Cooper Batemen, and Jarrett Solomon – see bios, below), the Buffs went ahead and offered a scholarship to yet another four-star pro-style quarterback.

Sefo Liufau is 6’4″, 215-pound quarterback from Tacoma, Washington. Liufau can reportedly run a 4.5 in the 40, and carries a 3.6 GPA. Rivals rates Liufau as the No. 196 overall prospect in the nation. Liufau has interest from all over the nation, including both Washington schools, both Oregon schools, Nebraska, Alabama, Stanford, and Notre Dame. Rivals bio Scout bio 

Yet Liufau only has one scholarship offer to date … from the University of Colorado.

“Only my family and coaches know.  And I wanted to let you know too,” Sefo told WashingtonPreps.com.  ”Colorado made me an offer to play quarterback for them on scholarship. I loved speaking with the staff.  It was a great conversation and basically they said I am their primary quarterback recruit.  They run a Pro Style offense and their offense reflects a lot of what we run at Bellarmine,” he added saying he is excited and honored to have his first offer be from a Pac 12 South Team.

​The family oriented honor student hails from Polynesian roots where his mother and father instilled in him the tenants he lives by daily.

“Of course the whole family was so excited when I got off the phone.  I am the oldest one of us and we are all going to enjoy this together.  This is my first offer but you know it is a first for them too.  When we all reflected on it there was a real sense of joy and happiness to be so blessed,” added Liufau.

Part of the family involvement will include a trip to Boulder in April where the Liufau crew will go with their oldest child when  he makes an unofficial visit to meet the staff, tour the University, and see the Spring scrimmage.  The family has been behind him all the way and he intends to keep them involved.  While they can not make it to all his trips this one could be special.

“Going together will be great.  My brother has school so he might miss it but otherwise we will all go together and make it fun.  That is the one thing we are all trying to remember.  To have fun!  This is only going to happen for me once so we will keep all of these blessings in mind,” he concluded. 

Liufau has already taken an unofficial visit to Pullman to visit with quarterback guru Mike Leach at Washington State.

“Oh yeah, had a great time over there,” Sefo told Scout.com a month ago. “I went over with my dad … It was a great day and great experience. I loved the atmosphere.”

Liufau singled out his time talking with the new coaching staff as a highlight of the trip.

“We had an individual position meeting and I did talk to Mike Leach,” said Liufau. “He is a great guy, that was the first time I have met him. From the small time talking to him, I can tell he is a great guy. The whole staff is fired up, they have big plans over there. They are looking to do damage in the Pac-12.”

Liufau also had nice things to say about Utah. “I’ve talked to (quarterback) coach Duff at Utah and they’ve been sending me a lot of stuff. I think Utah is a great program,” Liufau told InsidetheUtes.com. “I watched their bowl game when they had a great come from behind win. Coach Duff is a great guy and I’ve really liked getting to know him.”

So, while Colorado may have been the first to offer Liufau, the Buffs will certainly not be the last.

March 5th

Stanford lands a top quarterback early

Andrew who?

While the post-Andrew Luck era officially got underway last week, as Stanford opened spring practices for 2012, the Cardinal already have an eye on the recruiting Class of 2013.

Ryan Burns, a four-star quarterback recruit out of Ashburn, Virginia, gave his verbal commitment to Stanford over the weekend. Burns is considered by Rivals to be a four-star prospect, and is rated as the No. 47 overall player in the nation. Rivals bio

Burns had offers from all over the nation, including Boston College, Penn State, West Virginia, Maryland and Tennessee.

Colorado, which has expressed an interest in signing a quarterback each season, has offers out to at least three top prospects:

Max Browne, from Sammamish, Washington, is ranked by Rivals as the No. 8 overall prospect in the country. Rivals bio  Scout bio

Cooper Batemen, from Salt Lake City, is ranked by Rivals as the No. 129 overall prospect in the nation. Rivals bio Scout bio

Jarrett Solomon, from Las Vegas, (who is listed as Anu Solomon by Scout), is considered to be the No. 132 overall player in the country by Rivals. Rivals bio  Scout bio

February 29th

CU attempts to establish another high school pipeline

H.D. Woodson high west?

This past recruiting cycle, Colorado received three commitments from the same Washington D.C. high school. The “D.C. Three” – defensive back Kenneth Crawley, defensive back John Walker, and defensive lineman De’Jon Wilson – join 2011 CU recruit Sherrard Harrington on the Buffs’ roster this fall.

Not content with one high school pipeline, Colorado also received three commitments this February from Upland high school in California – running back Donta Abron, defensive back Marques Mosley, and fullback Christian Powell.

Over the next few seasons Colorado may perhaps establish yet another regular path from the prep ranks to Folsom Field.

This week, Colorado offered three players from La Mirada high in California, a school where the Buffs have an “in” … the head coach at La Mirada is former Colorado quarterback Mike Moschetti.

It may take some time to fully establish the pipeline though, as the three players CU offered are a senior-to-be, a junior-to-be, and a sophomore-to-be.

That’s correct … CU has already made an offer to a player who is currently a freshman in high school.

The member of the Class of 2013 the Buffs are after is middle linebacker prospect Kao Kaleopaa. The 6-3.5, 250-pounder anchored the Matadores defense in 2011. Rivals bio  Scout bio 

The junior-to-be who now has an offer from Colorado is tight end Tyler Luatua. At 6’4″, 230-pounds, Luatua already has another offer – from UCLA – after catching 23 passes for 251 yards as a sophomore. Luatua’s brother, Isaac, red-shirted this past fall at Alabama.

The current freshman who is attracting attention from a number of BCS schools is quarterback Kevin Dillman. According to Scout.com, Dillman was offered by UCLA on Wednesday morning and the Buffs joined the fray just hours later. The 6-4, 205-pounder was 18-for-26 for 216 yards with two touchdowns as a freshman and ran for 103 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown as the backup for Mike Moschetti’s offense.

Moschetti played quarterback for the Buffs in the late 1990′s, when Jon Embree was an assistant coach at Colorado. Moschetti led the team in passing in 1998 and 1999, starting all but one game over those two seasons. Moschetti set a single game record in passing for 465 yards in a rout of San Jose State in 1999. He finished his CU career ranked 5th all-time on the passing charts, with 4,797 yards and 33 touchdowns.

February 19th

Here we go again?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before …

Another top in-state offensive lineman has chosen to leave the state, instead of playing for Colorado.

Chris Fox, a four-star prospect in the eyes of both Rivals and Scout, has given his verbal commitment to Michigan. Fox, considered by Rivals to be the No. 46 overall prospect in the nation, became the ninth player (with eight of them being four star recruits) to already give their commitment to the Wolverines.

“I’ve known I wanted to go there since I went to their summer camp last year and there’s nothing better than Michigan,” Fox told GoBlueWolverine.com.  “I’ve just known in my mind that that’s where it’s at. It has everything… the coaches, facilities, and location… I’ve got tons of family out there. It’s the best.”

In addition to Colorado, Fox had offers from most of the Big Ten, as well as schools like Florida State from the ACC and Missouri from the SEC.

Last season, four of the top five prospects out of the state of Colorado were offensive linemen, with all four opting to go out of state: Joey O’Connor (Ohio State); Paul Thurston (Nebraska); Shane Callahan (Auburn) and Alex Kozan (TBD – but CU is not in the running).

February 13th

Colorado forced to be selective for Class of 2013

From a wealth of scholarships to offer to a dearth.

Colorado signed 27 players on Signing Day, the largest Class at CU since 1978.

That large Class, though, will be offset by a much smaller Class in 2013. The Buffs only have ten seniors on scholarship. With attrition, the number is expected to rise to about 15 to 18 by February, 2013.

Which leaves the margin for error with this Class very small.

“It will be basically this: If you don’t want the kid to come, don’t offer,” Embree said when asked how selective they will be with 2013 offers given the smaller class size. “Don’t extend an offer, and then he calls the next day [to commit] and you have buyer’s remorse. That’ll be the first criteria. We, our position coaches, better be sure. If you only get one [player at a position], you better be sure that’s the kid you want with that one. That will be how we go along building it.”

32 juniors in the Rivals.com database already claim a verbal offer from the Buffaloes (31 in the Scout database)

Included on those lists are four in-state prospects.

The local recruit drawing the most early interest is Parker (Colo.) Ponderosa offensive tackle Chris Fox. The 6-foot-6, 297-pound lineman received his first offer from CU after showing well at the Buffs’ Big Man camp last June. He has since added offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Purdue. Fox also lists Notre Dame, Oregon State, Washington and UCLA amongst his top choices for school.

Parker (Colo.) Chaparral tight end Mitchell Parsons, Arvada (Colo.) Ralston Valley offensive tackle Dan Skipper and Denver East running back Phillip Lindsay are the other three in-state players claiming offers from Colorado. To date, none of these three players have been rated by either Rivals or Scout.

February 9th

Never too early …

Yes, you read it correctly. It’s already time to start looking at the Colorado recruiting Class of 2013. The Buffs will only have 15-18 scholarships to work with, so this next Class will have to be more about quality and less about quantity.

One name you are going to be hearing about a great deal over the next 12 months is Chris Fox. A 6’6″, 297-pound offensive tackle from Ponderosa high in Parker, Colorado, Fox is considered to be a four-star prospect. When Rivals released its top 250 players in the nation list this week, Fox was the only player from the state of Colorado to make the list, coming in at No. 46. (Rivals bio).

Fox already has an impressive offer sheet, with many of the schools who have known offers coming from the Big Ten, including Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa and Purdue. The list is certain to grow over the next few months, so the Colorado coaches will have their work cut out for them.

With the offensive line always an area of need, combined with the fact Colorado missed out on some top in-state offensive line talent with this recruiting Class, special attention will be paid by the Buff Nation to the recruitment of Chris Fox.

And so it begins …

CU at the Game Contest

Update  … More stories … and more CU at the Game mousepads on their way out to CU at the Gamers …

More stories to check out … The 27-24 upset of No. 3 Oklahoma in 2007 … The 1990 win over No. 10 Illinois (and the farewell to Sal Aunese) … and even the infamous 82-42 loss to No. 12 Oklahoma in 1980 … What game do you want to write about?

The 1994 CU miracle victory over Michigan already has eight memories posted … but Rashaan Salaam’s run to 2,055 later that season against Iowa State has already picked up three stories.

Not every story comes out of a big CU victory. The brawl against Miami in 1993 has merited three stories, while CU at the Gamer Rob still has fond memories of a loss to Iowa State in 1982.

–

Last spring/summer, the first CU at the Game contest, the “CU at …. ” photo contest, was a great success. I received CU photos from every continent (including Antarctica!), from over two dozen countries, and from over half of these United States (the winners are still posted in the “Gallery” section of the website, if you would like to take a look).

This spring/summer, all you need to do is win is be a Buff fan.

Okay, so you are checking out a website dedicated to CU football … and it’s months before the start of the season. I’m guessing you qualify as a Buff fan.

As a Buff fan, you undoubted have many stories about following your team.

Were you there for the Buffs’ first win over Nebraska in 17 seasons (in 1986)? For the national championship game? Where were you for “The Catch”? How about when Rashaan Salaam went over 2,000 yards in the 1994 finale, only to have his headline taken away a few minutes later when Bill McCartney announced his retirement? Have you been to Miami for the Orange Bowl? Tempe for the Fiesta Bowl? Honolulu for the Aloha Bowl?

And then there are the stories which are more personal to each of us – Do you remember your first game at Folsom? Your all-time favorite game? I’m guessing you also have a favorite player or a favorite play.

All of the above is what makes you a loyal Buff fan – your history with the team. All I’m asking is that you share.

Here’s all you have to do to enter the contest:

1) Go to the “Archived Seasons” section of the website (link is on the front page);

2) Find the game which you wish to tell us about (the CU at the Game archives goes all the way back to 1980);

3) Click on “Post your own memories“, which is at the top of each game story; and

4) Tell us your story.

Your story doesn’t have to be long, and you are not being graded on style points (this is a football website, after all). Your story doesn’t have to be long or “special” – just as long as it’s special to you.

Winners will receive a “CU at the Game” mousepad (okay, it’s not much, but I am hoping to have a lot of winners!). The best stories will be posted on the front page, under the “Archive Game of the Week“.

CU Recruiting Class of 2013

Colin Sutton – OL

Just the facts … Committed May 2nd … Sutton is an offensive lineman prospect from Orange, California. Sutton is 6’5″, 290-pounds, and can run a 5.03 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Sutton … Sutton is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Sutton is rated as the No. 20 offensive guard prospect in the nation this year. Scout also had Sutton in its list of top five centers/guards in the West. Scout.com’s take on Sutton: “Sutton doesn’t get the same recognition as offensive line teammate John Lopez (who also has an offer from Colorado) but he might have had an ever better junior year. He’s not as massive as Lopez but moves better and is just as physical. He mauls opposing linemen, plays with leverage and can get out in space and is an effective blocker on a linebacker down the field. He’s a tireless worker off the field and is one of the strongest lineman in the state.”

 Sutton had other offers from … no other known schools, though he did have interest from several other Pac-12 schools, including USC, Stanford, Oregon and UCLA. Both Florida and Florida State showed interest, as did Duke and TCU. In making the rounds this spring, Sutton visited TCU, Colorado and Stanford. Sutton boasts a 4.5 GPA, so qualification will not be an issue.

In his own words… “I’m very excited to be going to Colorado,” Sutton told Scout.com. “I camped with Colorado last year, it was the only one I went to and I loved it there. It’s the most beautiful campus in the country and I really feel like the football program is headed in the right direction. I visited over Spring Break and just felt so comfortable there. I actually used to live in Colorado, my dad went to the Air Force Academy and my sister trains at the Olympic Trainer Center in Colorado so I’m very comfortable there.”

Kyle Trammel – S

Just the facts … Committed April 28th … Trammel is a safety prospect from Victorville, California. Trammel is 5’10″, 175-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Trammel … Trammel is not rated by either Rivals or Scout. Trammel’s 2011 stats include 108 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defended and 3 forced fumbles from his spot at free safety. He was 1st team All- Desert Sky League and 1st Team Daily Press All-Area for a team which went 6-6 last season. Here are some video highlights, which show Trammel coming from about 15 yards deep in the secondary. He makes some big hits, but not usually until positive yardage has been gained … and there is no video of him covering passes.

Trammel had other offers from … Arizona, according to Rivals. It will be interesting to see how Trammel’s recruitiment sorts itself out after his early commitment to Colorado.

Sefo Liufau – QB

Just the facts … Committed April 15th … Liufau is a quarterback prospect from Tacoma, Washington. Liufau is 6’4″, 215-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio  ESPN bio

 What others say about Liufau… Liufau is considered to be a four-star prospect by Rivals, but received only three stars from Scout. Rivals rates Liufau as the No. 12 pro-style quarterback in the country, and, in its list of Top 250 players overall, puts Liufau at No. 196. Scout, meanwhile, considers Liufau to be the No. 51 quarterback in the country. In sophomore and junior seasons (2010 and 2011) combined Liufau threw for 4,780 yards while completing 59 percent of his passes, and firing 43 touchdown passes vs. 15 interceptions. In 2011, Sefo took his hometown Lions to the state semi-finals, and did so putting up 2,250 yards, hitting over 60% of his targets.  He threw 23 touchdowns and threw only six interecptions.  He also posted eight rushing touchdowns and 300 yards rushing on the season.  

According to a scout for Scout.com, Liufau “has a big frame and arm to match. Throws a very catchable ball. Excellent accuracy on short and intermediate passes, but can also throw the deep ball. Named the top QB at the U.S. Army National Underclassman Combine in January 2012″.

Liufau had other offers from … no other known schools, but that does not mean that there was not interest. UCLA and Washington State were heavily recruiting Liufau, and he also had interest from other Pac-12 schools, including Washington, both Oregon schools, and Stanford. Outside the conference, Liufau was attracting interest from Nebraska, Alabama and Notre Dame, as well as academic institutions like Princeton, Duke, and Yale (so the Buff Nation won’t have to worry about Liufau qualifying academically).

In his own words… Liufau took his unofficial visit on April 9th, and wasn’t around for the Spring game (he was actually in Boulder the day Paul Richardson suffered his season-ending knee injury). When asked what he was looking for out of his trip to Boulder, Liufau told Scout.com, “I really want to get a feel for atmosphere. Does it feel like home for me, that it feels right. It doesn’t have to be just like home, but a place I feel comfortable, where I can live and go to school”.

“College coaches say that they like how I can throw the ball on a consistent basis,” Liufau told Sporting News. “They like my presence in the pocket and the ability to throw and run the ball. They also love my size and leadership on the field … I will rally my team behind me and lead them each and every game. I don’t shy down from big games and always come ready to play.”

Mitchell Parsons – TE

Just the facts … Committed March 30th … Parsons is a tight end prospect from Parker (Chaparral) Colorado. Parsons is 6’5″, 220-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others say about Parsons … Parsons is considered to be a four-star prospect by Rivals, but is not yet rated by Scout (although Scout does have Parsons as one of the top five tight ends in the West). Parsons is considered to be the No. 11 tight end in the nation by Rivals. Last season Parsons, like Phillip Lindsay, was one of five juniors named the Denver Post All-state team, all in his first year playing the position. A player evaluation from Scout had this to say about Parsons: “Parsons lines all over the field and plays a lot as a wide out but projects as a tight end. He has very good hands, as good as anyone in the region and shows excellent body control as well. He adjusts well to balls high and behind him and has a large catch radius. He also shows surprising athleticism and can make plays down the field. He’s a physical kid, very tough and should be a solid blocker in college.”

Parsons had other offers from … only Mississippi, but the lack of official offers doesn’t tell the story. Parsons had interest from all over the nation, and took unofficial trips this spring to Nebraska, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Arizona State. Other schools which were on Parsons’ radar included: Michigan; Oregon; Oklahoma State; BYU; Washington; CSU; Stanford; and Miami. Before committing, Parsons had scheduled visits to Cal and Stanford, and was talking with Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Arkansas about visits to those schools.

In his own words… After visiting Colorado for its first Junior Day of spring practices, Parsons told Scout.com, “I really like Coach Embree and Coach (J.D.) Brookhart. They really like using the tight end position and they both have a lot of experience using the tight end so that stands out to me. Plus they’re close to home and I think they’re really on their way up. And I’ve been there a bunch.” At the time, Parsons did not foresee an early commitment. “I haven’t put a timetable on when I want to announce,” said Parsons. “I want to take my officials, get to know the coaches and learn more about them. I don’t want to be that guy who commits, then finds out later I didn’t really want to go there and have to decommit. I want to be sure before I decide.” With Colorado limited in the number of scholarships available for the Class of 2013, though, Parsons decided to pull the trigger. “I thought about some other tight end taking a visit there and seeing how awesome Boulder is and how special what they’ve got going on there is and him taking my spot,” Parsons said. “So I wanted to secure my spot as a Buffalo.”

Phillip Lindsay – RB

Just the facts … Committed March 22nd … Lindsay is a running back prospect from Denver South high. Lindsay is 5’10″, 173-pounds, and runs a 4.49 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio ESPN bio 

What other say about Lindsay … Lindsay is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but is not yet rated by Scout. A three-year starter, Lindsay has already rushed for 4,288 yards and recorded nearly 300 tackles during his prep career at Denver South. Lindsay was one of four juniors named first-team all-state at the 5A classification by the Denver Post in December. Lindsay was voted First Team West Metro All-Conference at running back, and was also named to the second team as a linebacker. Lindsay’s 9.2 yards per carry average in 2011 was third best among 5A backs with at least 153 carries. In seven of 10 games in 2011, Lindsay rushed for more than 163 yards, with the junior accumulating 1,763 and 13 touchdowns on the season. He had a 300-yard, four-touchdown performance in the Rebels’ 64-13 victory over Lincoln in mid-October. Lindsay also returns punts, returns kicks and starts at linebacker for Denver South (ESPN is listing Lindsay as a cornerback prospect, but he is being recruited by Colorado as a running back).

Lindsay is also a sprinter for the Denver South track team. He plans to run the 100-yard dash along with the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 relays. He participated in all of those events last year and helped his team reach the state meet.

Lindsay had other offers from … only a handful of schools, though Lindsay reported receiving letters from “too many colleges to list”. Lindsay was being recruited heavily by Boise State and Colorado State. One reason that the official offer sheet was not longer is that early on Lindsay expressed an interest in remaining in-state for college.

In his own words … Lindsay told BuffaloSportsNews that he attended several CU games this past fall at Folsom Field and that he understands the Buffs are in rebuilding mode. He said he has an excellent relationship with Colorado offensive coordinator and running backs coach Eric Bieneimy. Lindsay said he likes the campus in Boulder. He said he liked that CU fans remained generally positive even though the Buffs didn’t play particularly well in the games he attended. “It was a cool atmosphere,” he said. “It never really felt negative about anything even if Colorado was losing, they weren’t really negative. They cheered their teams on and that’s what they’re going to do.”

April 30th

Vote in CU poll to name Top 12 Buffs

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the University of Colorado’s first All-American in football, Byron “Whizzer” White, KOA and CUBuffs.com are conducting a fan competition to select 12 of the best players since White to wear the Buffalo uniform.

CUBuffs.com has broken down the candidates into six groups, and fans will select two from each to “share the spotlight.” Thus two players from the following areas will be voted on to come up with a dozen Buffaloes since 1937 who have excelled at their positions: offensive skill (quarterback, tailback and receiver), offensive line (tackle, guard, center and tight end), defensive line (end, tackle, nose guard), linebacker (inside/outside), defensive back and specialists.

For a player to be listed in a group, he must have been named a first- or second team All-American, earned multiple first-team All-Conference honors, had a distinguished NFL career, or be at or very near the top on CU’s all-time statistical lists.

Here is a link to the poll

Here is how I voted (you can vote for two in each category). Feel free to completely disagree:

Offensive skill: Kordell Stewart; Eric Bieniemy

Offensive line: Andre Gurode; Jay Leeuwenburg (Joe Garten would be a very close third)

Defensive line: Joel Steed: Tyler Brayton

Linebacker (impossibly hard category): Alfred Williams; Matt Russell

Secondary (almost as difficult): Deon Figures; Dick Anderson (though I didn’t see Anderson play. Of players I’ve seen play, I would put in Victor Scott)

Specialists: Mason Crosby; Barry Helton

What do you think?

Oregon quarterback without an NFL contract

Darron Thomas, who gave up his final season of eligibility at Oregon to go pro, remains unsigned.

He left Eugene as UO’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (66). He was also sixth in total offense (6,633 yards) and seventh in passing yards (5,910).

Thomas went undrafted, and did not sign a free-agent contract with any NFL team. Thomas has been offered the opportunity to mini-camps by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, with a chance to try out for those teams.

April 28th

Ryan Miller and Toney Clemons drafted … Other Buffs sign as free agents

Ryan Miller

“With the 25th pick of the 5th round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select … Ryan Miller, offensive lineman, Colorado”.

The Browns took Miller with the 160th overall pick, in a selection acquired from the Denver Broncos. Miller said earlier this week that he believed he was able to change some opinions about his ability in February at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was the only Buff invited there this year. “People knew I was a big body, but they weren’t sure I could move,” he said. “I think I really proved a lot of that at the combine. … I’m thankful for wherever this opportunity is. It’s not one that many people get and I’m trying to make the most of it.”

Miller’s selection marks the seventh consecutive year that at least one CU Buff has been taken in the NFL draft. Since Colorado was last shut out of the draft, in 2005,  at least two Buffs have been taken in every draft except for the 2009 draft, when linebacker Brad Jones (seventh round, Green Bay) was the only Buff chosen.

“I’m thankful for it . . . I’m a Brown now and I couldn’t be happier,” Miller said. “It’s a dream come true; every kid whoever puts on a helmet wants to play in the NFL.”

Miller’s first look from the Browns will come at right tackle, then on the left side, then possibly at either guard. He reports to Cleveland on May 10 for rookie orientation, then minicamp.

“I’m an offensive lineman,” Miller said. “l’ll play wherever I need to play, wherever they need me.” 

Colorado has a long history with the Cleveland, with Miller becoming the 15th Buff to be selected by the Browns. In the past 20 seasons, five other Buffs have been late round selections by Cleveland: Rico Smith, wide receiver (6th round, 1992); Darrin Chiaverini, wide receiver (5th round, 1999); Brad Bedell, guard (6th round, 2000); Rashidi Barnes, safety (seventh round, 2000); and Lawrence Vickers, running back (6th round, 2006).

The highest round of any CU player chosen by the Cleveland Browns? None other than Dave Logan, chosen in the third round by the Browns in 1976.

Toney Clemons

“With the 24th pick in the 7th round of the 2012 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select … Toney Clemons, wide receiver, Colorado”.

The Steelers took Clemons with the 231st overall pick. Clemons, a Pennsylvania prep star (heading home!), came to Colorado as a transfer from Michigan, but did not initially live up to expectations. Still, Clemons finished strong, completing his CU career 17th in all-time receiving yards (1,162) and tied for 18th in all-time receptions (86), with his 11 touchdown receptions tied for the ninth most.  When he reached the 1,000-yard plateau, he became the 22nd player in school annals to do so.  His 11 touchdown catches covered 284 total yards, or 25.8 per score.  He became the first player to play in the Big 10, Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences in his career with CU’s switch to the latter in 2011.  At the conclusion of the 2011 season, Clemons was named by the coaches as the co-recipient (with QB Tyler Hansen) of CU’s John Mack Award as the team’s most outstanding offensive player.

Clemons ended his senior season with a flourish, making 25 receptions in the final give games for 476 yards (19 yards per catch) and five touchdowns.

Clemons, a Pittsburgh native, grew up “loving the Steelers” and called being drafted by them “a complete shock . . . this is such a blessing.” He was told Pittsburgh was contemplating taking him in the fifth round, but selected another player. Then, without a sixth round pick, the Steelers came back to him in round seven.

He said the final month and a half of his college career opened Saturday’s door: “It didn’t matter what I tested, what my measurables were . . . making plays against the teams I did, that was huge for me. (Pittsburgh) said, ‘Let’s put tape on him against great competition’ – and I had that run of six of seven games. And then coach (Jon) Embree, coach (Eric) Bieniemy and coach (Rip) Scherer took a stand for me. I wouldn’t be in this position without them.”

Clemons said he plans to “go in with the same positive attitude and get on as many (special) teams as I can . . . they’ve got a lot of great guys there. But I plan on working and doing whatever I can to stay.”

Clemons becomes the 12th Buff selected by Pittsburgh, but there was a time in the 1990′s when the black-and-gold lineup of the Steelers was filled with the black-and-gold of Colorado. Between 1991 and 1998, six Buffs were selected by Pittsburgh, including four in the first two rounds. The 1990′s Buffs who were drafted by Pittsburgh: Ariel Solomon, offensive tackle (10th round, 1991); Joel Steed, defensive lineman, (third round, 1992); Deon Figures, cornerback (first round, 1993); Chad Brown, linebacker (third round, 1993); Charles E. Johnson, wide receiver (first round, 1994); Kordell Stewart, quarterback (second round, 1995); Ryan Olson, defensive lineman, (sixth round, 1998).

Of the 24 all-time first-round draft picks in CU history, three of them were chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to Deon Figures and Charles E. Johnson, above, the Steelers chose one Byron “Whizzer” White with the fourth overall pick of the 1938 NFL draft.

Free Agent Buffs

Colorado graduated 28 players this past season. Only two were drafted, leaving others to try and catch on with other teams as free agents. Below is a list of CU seniors who are reporting to have signed with NFL teams:

Quarterback Tyler Hansen – Cincinnati Bengals

Running back Rodney Stewart – Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive lineman Conrad Obi – Arizona Cardinals

Others …

Former CU running back Darrell Scott – Dallas Cowboys

UCLA wide receiver Tyler Embree – San Diego Chargers

Infamous Oregon speedster Cliff Harris – Philadelphia Eagles

Washington running back Chris Polk – Philadelphia Eagles

Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore (50-3 in his collegiate career) – Detroit Lions

Colorado State offensive lineman Paul Madsen – Buffalo Bills

Colorado State running back Raymond Carter – Jacksonville Jaguars

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Cincinnati Bengals

April 27th

Police reports from Ft. Collins released

Following up on the report Thursday that three CSU football players were only charged with misdemeanor assault stemming from a fight with fellow students on April 6th (story below), the Coloradoan has put out a story containing the Ft. Collins police reports.

Highlights … Junior defensive end Nordly Capi, junior linebacker Mike Orakpo and junior defensive end Colton Paulhus were all charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Also charged was freshman Donny Gocha, whom the three are accused of beating April 6. Police said Gocha was so badly hurt he looked like the “Elephant man” following the beating. The three football players were suspended from the team the day after the fight.

 According to Gocha, he and the football players exchanged homophobic slurs about 11:45 p.m. near the intersection of Shields Street and LaPorte Avenue. The football players then piled out of their SUV and fought with Gocha, witnesses said. Gocha’s friends tried to protect him as he was knocked unconscious.

According to police:

• Gocha told police that when the football players got out of the SUV, he said to one of them, “Well, are you going to sit there and call me a faggot,” and then got into a shoving match, grabbed the man’s legs and then blacked out after being repeatedly hit. Gocha told police that he remembered the man saying “hit him, hit this bitch” before he blacked out. “Gocha said he was not planning on starting a fight when he went to confront the male…,” police said.

• Redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron Davis, who was in the car, said everyone got out of Paulhus’ white Lincoln SUV and “Orakpo, Capi and Paulhus began assaulting these other guys.”

• Linebacker Nuuvali Faapito said that when he got out of the SUV, he saw Capi and Orakpo piled on top of someone and that he told Gocha’s friends to leave because they were overmatched. Faapito said he apologized to Gocha’s friends, and then he and Davis walked away because they didn’t want to get involved in the fight.

• Defensive lineman Alexander Tucci, who was also in the SUV, said he saw Orakpo fall to the ground because he had either been hit or pushed, and that Orakpo took Gocha down with him, and at one point had the smaller man in a headlock. “Mr. Tucci said that Mr. Capi and Mr. Orakpo had told him not to say anything to the other teammates,” police said.

• After initially denying that he had ever left his house that night, Orakpo admitted to being present at the fight and said he was tackled by Gocha, who he thought wasn’t very badly hurt when the fight ended. Orakpo said that since he wasn’t hitting Gocha, he believed Capi and Paulhus had punched him. Orakpo told police he had not discussed the incident with anyone via text message.

• Police recovered from Orakpo’s phone a series of text messages with a fellow player in which he said he and “Cap” had “f—– up,” had “got into it” and hoped that his teammates wouldn’t tell anyone. Orakpo was responding to his friend’s message asking if he really “whoop(ed) somebodys ass.”

And what will new Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain do with this information?

McElwain on Thursday said he had been made aware of the charges and said the three would remain suspended: “This matter remains under university investigation, and as of this time the status of the student-athletes remains unchanged.” 

The students are also facing an internal CSU disciplinary process, which is confidential. In a statement, university spokesman Mike Hooker said CSU officials are reviewing the police reports.

“The student conduct process is independent from the police investigation and can result in university disciplinary actions regardless of the decisions made by police and prosecutors in the criminal justice system,” he said in a statement. “CSU’s student conduct officials have and do exercise the authority to place a student on immediate interim suspension and ban students from campus while awaiting police reports and completing the disciplinary process. All students involved in criminal incidents are subject to a conduct review and may face university sanctions including suspension or removal from campus.”

April 26th

CSU players get misdemeanor charges

According to the Coloradoan … Three CSU football players and another CSU student are facing disorderly conduct charges for their roles in a large off-campus fight in Fort Collins earlier this month.

According to police, junior defensive end Nordly Capi, junior linebacker Mike Orakpo and junior defensive end Colton Paulhus were all charged with the same Class 3 misdemeanor, as was freshman Donny Gocha.

According to Gocha, he and the football players exchanged homophobic slurs about 11:45 p.m. near the intersection of Shields Street and LaPorte Avenue. The football players then piled out of their SUV and fought with Gocha, witnesses said. Gocha’s friends tried to protect him as he was knocked unconscious April 6. Gocha and his friends are significantly smaller than the football players.

“It is believed that Gocha’s friends were trying to break up the fight and protect Gocha, who was knocked unconscious at some point during the incident,” police said in announcing the charges.

Gocha took to Facebook to express his frustration with the decision to charge both him and the players.

“Once again our justice system pulls through on doing a royally s——- job,” Gocha posted on his personal Facebook page. “The football players and ME got charged with disorderly conduct!”

“I’m so mad about everything,” J.D. Haley, one of the freshmen who was another party involved in the assault, said. “I can’t even put it into words. I never even thought this was a possibility.”

 It may be just me – and it may be true that this was just a fight and not an assault – but it’s hard for me to believe that misdemeanor charges would be the result if CU football players had been involved …

April 25th

Buffs continue to shine off the field

Much is expected of Colorado junior linebacker Doug Rippy on the field this fall.

He is already doing very well off the field.

At the 20th Annual Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet, held in the Byron White Club Lounge at CU’s Folsom Field, Rippy was given the Clancy A. Herbst, Jr., Student-Athlete Achievement Award. The Herbst Award is given to athletes who overcome personal, academic or emotional difficulties to succeed both academically and athletically, and Rippy more than qualified.

Rippy has had to deal with two knee surgeries, one for a torn MCL and the second for a torn ACL, the latter of which abruptly ended his junior season last October, and in-between had a childhood friend, Damiko Russell, gunned down at the age of 20 in a drive-by shooting in Columbus, Ohio, in March 2011.

Also recognized at the Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet was the CU football team as a whole, which last fall recorded its best semester GPA (2.661) since the information was first compiled in 1992.

Overall, the grade point average for the fall 2011 semester for all 321 CU student-athletes was 2.867, while the cumulative grade point was 2.876; it was the best fall GPA on record and the third highest ever recorded.  Seven of the 14 programs (indoor and outdoor track are combined) boasted grade points of 3.0 or better for the semester, with the same seven also sporting a cumulative grade point besting the 3.0 mark. 

Well done, Buffs!

April 23rd

Colorado to play UMass in 2014, 2015, and 2019

The Buffs are heading for Beantown …

It isn’t official as far as the University of Colorado is concerned, but UMass has issued a press release showing three non-conference games with Colorado.

The Minutemen, who are climbing into Division 1-A and joining the Mid-American Conference this season, will play the Buffs at home in 2014 (September 6th), then travel to Boulder in 2015 (September 12th) and 2019 (September 7th).

UMass, which went 5-6 in 2011 in its final year in the Colonial Athletic Conference, has chosen an ambitious road as a new FBS team. The Minutemen will play future non-conference games against Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin, Florida, Kansas State, Colorado, and Boston College. This is in addition to the 2012 non-conference schedule that includes UConn, Indiana, Michigan, and Vanderbilt.

In 2013, UMass will play at Wisconsin and at Kansas State in addition to the previously announced home meeting with Vanderbilt as part of a four-game series with the Commodores. The game at Kansas State will be the third all-time meeting between the Minutemen and the Wildcats. The programs first met in 2003 and most recently in 2009.

UMass will host the Buffs at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. 

April 21st

Buffs add preferred walk-on to 2012 roster

Chris O’Donnell (1988-91), Greg Pace (2002-05), Justin Drescher (2006-09) … names etched in the Colorado record books.

Names don’t ring a bell?

These three players are the only three players in CU history to hold down the thankless job of long snapper for all four years of their CU career.

Now Trevor Carver has signed on to the Buff roster to try and join that list.

According to the Daily Camera… Trevor Carver, from Monarch (Co.) high, will play long-snapper as a preferred walk-on this fall. 

The 6-foot, 180-pound Carver, whose father Scott played tight end at Michigan State, had been sitting on a similar offer from the Utah Utes for about a month before getting word from CU coaches that they would have a spot for him.

“I just felt a little more comfortable (at Colorado),” Trevor Carver said Friday. “I’m very excited.”

Carver said he had opportunities to play cornerback at a couple of Division-III schools in California, but had long ago set his heart on playing Division-I football. And long-snapping, which he learned from his father in pee-wee football, ended up being his ticket.

For Carver to join O’Donnell, Pace, and Drescher in the record books, he’ll have some work to do. The returning starter at long-snapper for CU is junior Ryan Iverson, who has already started for two seasons, and is halfway to joining an elite – if underappreciated – list of four-year starters at Colorado.

April 19th

Oregon pot use story bringing strong responses

I really didn’t think the ESPN story about pot use at Oregon would go very far … but I was wrong.

The article, “We smoked it all“, opens as follows:

“The sandwich bag brims with weed.

“On a frosty January evening in Eugene, a University of Oregon student plops onto a couch, nestled between a whirring space heater and a muted television at a friend’s off-campus apartment, and pulls a nugget from the bag. At his feet sits a backpack emblazoned with the logo of the Rose Bowl, which he and his teammates had won barely a week before. ‘Purple Kush,’ he says of his preferred marijuana strand, which he rolls into a hefty joint between his forefingers and thumbs. ‘It’s pretty much all I smoke.’

“The joint, to which he adds a dash of tobacco to make a spliff, is typical for this student-athlete. ‘Bongs and pipes mean more evidence,’ he says. He lights up, kicks back and exhales a dense cloud. Normally, he’d pass the spliff to one of his Oregon football teammates, but tonight he smokes alone. ‘Most of the guys are waiting until after winter workouts,’ he says. Once thoseconclude in March, he adds, they’ll gather in clusters to partake together. About half the team smokes, he estimates. ‘It’s a team thing. Like video games.’ ”

College students smoking pot? College kids smoking pot?

Yawn.

CU fans calling out Oregon players for smoking pot?

Something about a pot and the coloring of a certain kettle springs to mind.

Still … smoking pot is illegal, and it does violate team rules, even in Oregon (Cliff Harris’ response to a police officer’s inquiry about the smell of pot in his car – “We smoked it all” – notwithstanding), so a response was required from Oregon and its head coach, Chip Kelly.

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens responded to the magazine article as follows: “Similar to many college campuses wrestling with the same issue, the University of Oregon actively works to address potential use of any illegal substance through a combination of education, prevention and enforcement activities”.

Oregon head coach Chip Kelly’s response: “If we had that many kids doing it, we wouldn’t be 34-6 (for the last three seasons),” Kelly said. This past season, the Ducks defeated Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl. We win because of how hard we practice, and I see our kids every day in practice. If we saw signs of it — I haven’t seen signs of it.”

The ESPN article spawned an article by CBSSports.com - Oregon’s success on the football field has increased in recent years, so has the school’s leniency in student-athletes that test positive for drugs … Two years ago, a player was dismissed at Oregon after a third positive drug test. However, now it takes four positive drug tests before dismissal, according to the school’s substance abuse policy.

In 2010, Oregon’s substance abuse policy, obtained through a public records request, indicated that the “continuing use of tested-for drugs on two occasions beyond the initial positive test, the student-athlete shall be expelled from the team and shall lose all athletic grant-in-aid support beginning with the next academic term.”

Under the current policy, a third positive test only results in missing 50 percent of games played in a season. If a player’s ineligibility is not complete by the end of post season play, it carries over to the next season. A fourth positive test at Oregon results in dismissal and the player “will lose all grant-in-aid support, beginning with the next academic term.”

Of the more than 60 BCS schools, Oregon is one of at least 17 schools that require at least four positive drugs tests before dismissal, according to public record requests obtained in the past two years by CBSSports.com. The BCS schools, which include five Pac-12 members, are: Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, UConn, Louisville, Rutgers, Illinois, Penn State, Purdue, Oklahoma State, Arizona, UCLA, Washington, Washington State, Arkansas Florida and Mississipi State.

The story will not likely go a great deal further, but, as George Schroeder of the Oregonian put it:

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the real Oregon percentage (of marijuana use) is more in line with the survey — or if the actual number nationwide is closer to the anonymous Oregon guesstimates. But that’s not the point. Neither is the inevitable argument about whether marijuana use should be considered a problem, anyway. 

“What’s undeniable is this: Oregon’s image just took another hit.”

…

“I’m not sure there’s a crisis, or if it’s worse at Oregon than anywhere else. The issue felt overcooked. Next someone will discover and report that it rains a lot around here. (Although the article suggested the weather might have been a reason some guys lit up.)

“But while ‘We smoked it all’ wasn’t good, you almost couldn’t help but laugh.

“We smoked it all the way to the Rose Bowl? Now that’s a bad buzz.”

 We know how we’d feel about it if the story originated in Boulder …

April 18th

CU Defensive coordinator Greg Brown interviewed by ESPN.com

Ted Miller of ESPN.com has posted an interview with Colorado defensive coordinator and secondary coach Greg Brown.

It’s worth reading in its entirety, but here are a few choice responses regarding spring practices:

Give me a couple of names of standouts this spring? Who impressed you?

GB: [Defensive end] Chidera Uzo-Diribe, he had a very good spring. He’s got skill. He’s got speed. He’s got size. And he’s tenacious. He’s a good player. He played last year for us and was fine but he stepped up this spring and filled a void — we had two defensive ends graduate. He stepped up and really became a guy. He would be the top dog in the D-line. If there is one other defensive lineman who can play, it’s Will Pericak. He’s a good player — steady, consistent. He’s been around the block. Has size. He’s played for a long time here. Good player. You’ve got those two up front. After that, there’s really nobody to write about [on the defensive line]. We’re just waiting on the young kids to get here.

How about linebacker?

GB: Linebacker-wise, our best player is Doug Rippy. He’s our captain, a team leader. He ended up missing, from the Washington game on last year, missing the season. He tore his ACL in that game and he was held out of spring ball and can’t do anything yet. But we’re looking to get him back. Jon Major is another ‘backer who is back, has a lot of experience. He’s a jack of all trades for us, can do a lot of things. Smart, can rush the passer, cover. He makes plays. He’s good. Linebacker is where the most numbers are back. After that, you’ve got some guys who have played. Derrick Webb has played. He can run and hit. Then there’s a smattering of younger kids who have some ability. They just haven’t proven anything yet. They’re up and coming.

And then the secondary?

GB: We’ve got one returning guy. That’s Ray Polk; he’s a safety. Good player. Big kid who can run and hit. Been starting here a long time. Good future in front of him. Ray’s issue was he could only do non-contact stuff during spring. He had surgery on a torn ligament in his wrist. So he did seven-on-seven and that was probably it. The next one to talk about back there would be [cornerback] Greg Henderson. He came in as a true freshman and won a starting job. He took advantage of the opportunity and won a job and he kept it all year. He continually progressed every week. This spring, he got better as you’d expect. They come in as freshmen and just look to survive, which he did more than ably. But we’re looking for improvement this year and looking for him to be a guy. He’s athletic. He can run, he’s smart. And he’s tough. And as much as anything, he stayed healthy. After him, a guy who is a good player for us, is Oarj Orms. He plays nickel, safety and corner. He plays all three. Good athlete, tough kid. He missed quite a bit of the year. He only played five games for us. And he got hurt this spring, which is unfortunate. He tore his hamstring. He played three days of spring then tore that thing. In the five games he played for us last year, we either won or had a chance to win because he allowed us to do things on defense we could not do when he was not in there.

April 17th

Colorado athletic director promises “transformational” project in September

If you wait long enough, it will come ….?

The long-awaited announcement from the Colorado athletic department concerning facilities upgrades came Tuesday. Unfortunately for the Buff Nation, the announcement was akin to promise ring – not quite an engagement ring, but a promise to give a ring at a later date.

When will an actual announcement be made? Not until September, according to Bohn.

According to the Daily Camera … The project has no start or completion dates at this time because it is contingent on working out several avenues of funding, including gathering an unprecedented level of private donations. A portion of the project will be financed against future Pac-12 Conference revenue.

Bohn said if the school cannot gather enough private funding, the project would have to be scaled down and only some of the options being discussed could actually be built.

Financing for the project is still being studied, with Bohn citing “the private piece, the department piece” and what is expected to be a healthy television revenue stream from CU’s membership in the Pac-12 Conference. In the first year (2013), CU is expected to receive at least $20 million – a figure exclusive of whatever else the school realizes from possibly participating in a BCS bowl, the NCAA Tournament, etc.

A feasibility study for the ambitious facilities project, said Bohn, is being done through the CU Foundation, the fund-raising arm he said has grown from five staffers to 14 since he arrived in the spring of 2005. He also said the Foundation has “made major investments in helping us raise money . . . anytime you’re working on a project of this scope, private funds are a big part of that.”

Bohn called fund-raising for the massive upgrade “extremely complex” and emphasized that his discussing an announcement almost six months out is “not going to be an empty promise and that’s one I take pride in . . . It’s not a dream, it’s not a vision; it’s a project that we’re working hard on (and) that’s our No. 1 priority.”

CU President Bruce Benson, Chancellor Phil DiStefano and the school’s Board of Regents “are right at the table with us, they’re in the trenches with us,” Bohn said. “That’s inspiring to me and it should be very, very positive to all those who have the ability to engage with our program. That’s imperative . . . let there be no mistake about that.”

Bohn acknowledged that the athletic department is still repaying an $8 million loan (with interest) from campus as well as “dealing with a significant buyout ($14-$15 million)” to leave the Big 12 Conference and join the Pac-12 last summer. Nonetheless, he remains optimistic that all the financial “moving parts” will be pulled together and allow the fall announcement of a project that had its genesis in former CU Athletic Director Dick Tharp’s Vision 2010.

“I’d say we’ve made enough progress to continue to be aggressive in moving this forward, but it’s clearly not materialized at this point,” Bohn said. “We’re talking private dollars, also investments from the athletic department budget, the Pac-12 television revenue as well. (It’s) enough to keep us going but we have a lot of work to do there.”

In addition to giving Folsom a facelift, the project would help pull together athletic department offices that currently, conceded Bohn, are “all over the gates (at Folsom).” Also in line for renovation on Folsom’s west side would be antiquated Balch Fieldhouse and the Flatirons Club. And the Coors Events Center, which last summer was joined to a basketball/volleyball practice facility, also is undergoing more modifications to accommodate the Pac-12 Network.

“You start getting an idea of the scope of the whole plot we’re trying to build and why it’s significant in what we’re putting together,” Bohn said. “(But) the vision is it’s beyond just a facility piece. It’s a comprehensive presentation of organizational effectiveness and organizational strategy, having a staff that can deliver all the things we’re talking about in addition to the facility piece.”

Sounds good … until you look at the calendar, and realize that there is four more months of waiting for an announcement which had been expected as early as May.

When it does work out, all will be forgiven. Until then, Buff fans will just have to sit back and read stories about the upgrades being announced by virtually every other school in the Pac-12.

Pericak found not guilty

According to an article in the Daily Camera… A Boulder jury found University of Colorado football player William Garrett Pericak, 21, not guilty earlier this month of physical harassment and trespassing charges in relation to a reported incident at a local bar.

Both charges were Boulder municipal offenses. A third charge of threatening bodily harm was dismissed.

Pericak was initially arrested on suspicion of physical harassment and trespassing back on January 29th.

According to the police reports, at around 1 a.m. on the 29th a bartender at the Pearl Street Pub and Cellar at 1108 Pearl St. said Pericak lit the contents of a metal bucket on fire. Bartenders said the bucket contained trash and miscellaneous papers and were able to put it out with no damage to the bar.

When the bartender asked Pericak to leave, he refused and then started swearing and walked aggressively towards the bartender, police said. The bartender told police Pericak then gave the bartender what he described as a “chest-bump.”

The bartender told police Pericak fled the bar when police were called. The bartender followed Pericak and police contacted him near Broadway and Walnut Street.

This story received great play in the media when it was first announced. It will be interesting to see how much play it gets now that Pericak has been exonerated.

April 12th

“Buffalo Highway” … with or without buffalo

One out of two … so far.

A Colorado state Senate committee on Wednesday gave its unanimous approval to a resolution to rename the Boulder Turnpike the Buffalo Highway.

That stretch of road leads from Denver to Boulder, home of the University of Colorado. “I think it’s a nice reminder of the University of Colorado, which has the best mascot in the whole country,” said Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder. “Why not take advantage of it?”

The resolution, which already passed the House, allows the Colorado Department of Transportation to accept gifts, grants, and donations for the initial “Buffalo Highway” signs.

Meanwhile, back in Boulder …

Open Space and Mountain Parks staff members presented the initial findings of a study at an Open Space Board of Trustees meeting. Officials said the land would only be able to support 10 to 12 buffalo, with likely only one male, as opposed to the 25 animals Turner proposed.

Edie Stevens, of Friends of Boulder Open Space, said the group is concerned that the extensive fencing needed to keep the herd contained would rob the native wildlife as well as Boulder residents of the chance to enjoy the open space.

Some Boulder residents say the herd would add to the city’s appeal, according to a story in the Camera.

“It would add a lot to the ambiance of Boulder,” said resident George Russell, who prefaced his comments with a rendition of “Home on the Range.”

“I understand some of the concerns people have, but it would be nice to have that herd to make us feel at home.”

Proponents said it would be a postcard image to see a thundering herd of buffalo as drivers come over Davidson Mesa into Boulder.

But Craig Smith, of Merry Lane — right next to the site proposed on the south side of U.S. 36 — said with the amount of space and fewer than 20 animals, the likelihood of people actually driving by the herd would be low.

“What are the chances they will be right there?” he said. “The odds are they will be someplace else, most likely right outside my house. So that means 300 people are coming down my quiet street to take pictures of the bison.”

Most of the residents’ concerns centered around the quality of life for nearby neighborhoods and the use of open space rather than the cost of maintaining the buffalo herd. The city estimated it could cost up to $650,000 up front and up to $100,000 annually to keep the herd.

David Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association, said his group could help the city with monitoring the herd. Carter — who has some buffalo of his own in Westminster — also said the city should use the herd as an educational opportunity.

“We think that this is a tremendous opportunity with the city, and it fits with the character of the city,” he said, adding that buffalo lived on similar land years before. “The notion that this would be a zoo couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The Open Space Board of Trustees will make a final recommendation April 30. The City Council is scheduled to hold a study session on the matter May 29.

April 11th

Turnpike may be renamed “Buffalo Highway” …

U.S. Hwy 36 from Denver to Boulder, long known as the Boulder Turnpike, hasn’t actually been an actual turnpike for over 30 years.

So perhaps it’s time for a new name.

According to the Camera … a Colorado state Senate committee will be considering legislation to rename that part of U.S. 36 from Denver to Boulder the “Buffalo Highway”.  If passed, the resolution will allow the Colorado Department of Transportation to accept gifts, grants, and donations for the initial “Buffalo Highway” signs.

Among the sponsors is Rep. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, who is co-director of the Ralphie program, which runs a buffalo down the field at home games. He was one of the runners when he attended CU in the 1990s.

… And have actual Buffaloes

In a separate action, the City of Boulder may take up Ted Turner’s offer of a herd of buffalo to show off on the Turnpike … er … Buffalo Highway.

Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, announced during an October visit to his bison-serving restaurant — Ted’s Montana Grill — that he wanted to donate a buffalo herd to the city for viewing along U.S. 36 between Davidson Mesa and Boulder.

Before accepting the gift, the Boulder City Council in December approved a study to determine the costs of caring for the 25 American buffalo.

The city worked with the Denver Mountain Parks Department — which has herds in Daniels Park and Genesee — to get a better idea of how to manage a herd on public lands.

“They showed us a lot, and gave us an idea of what it takes to manage a herd,” said Mark Gershman, environmental planning supervisor for Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks. “They have experience with the issues associated with containment being a high priority, especially in an urban setting.”

City staffers are expected to present some of their findings at an Open Space Board of Trustees meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Municipal Building.

According to the study, taking the buffalo would mean a $450,000 to $650,000 capital investment, most of which would go toward fencing needed to contain the herd.

Mayor Matt Appelbaum said the numbers weren’t a surprise, and they also aren’t the only question hanging over the decision of whether to accept the buffalo herd.

“It’s money, but it’s also a use of open space,” he said. “It’s a long-term issue. Conceptually, sure, it would be really cool, but we also can’t provide a truly natural habitat.”

Appelbaum said he wants to hear from the open space board before making up his mind.

Councilman George Karakehian said he thinks the buffalo herd is worth the cost, though he readily admitted he is biased in favor of the animals.

“It’s the reintroduction of buffalo, a native species, back to Boulder,” he said. “How does it get any better than that? It’s the University of Colorado buffalo. There’s just something about them.”

Karakehian said he has heard interest from private organizations in managing the buffalo herd, and he believes the city would not end up being responsible for the ongoing costs.

Councilman Ken Wilson also said he believes not all the cost would have to come from taxpayers.

“I think people in the community would step up and donate,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot of people say they would, and I would.”

April 10th

Wide receiver corps may be the weak link of the 2012 Colorado lineup

With the loss of star wideout Paul Richardson for the 2012 season, the passing game for Colorado just went from suspect to non-existent.

Colorado will enter the fall sans its 2011 quarterback, leading rusher, leading tight end, and only returning wide receiver with over 200 yards in receptions.

Welcome to a brave new world, Connor Wood.

One of the questions of spring ball was which of the number of returning wide receivers would become the No. 2 man behind Richardson. Ironically enough, in an interview with cubuffs. com on Monday, CU wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy identified red-shirt freshman Nelson Spruce as the Buffs’ No. 2 guy. “He’s had a solid spring . . . he’s light years ahead of where he was when last season ended,” Kennedy said Monday of Spruce, a 6-2, 195-pounder from Westlake Village, Calif. “Things have slowed down for him, he’s able to execute better and he’s got a better understanding of what we’re trying to get done . . . he’s not thinking as much, he’s able to play a little faster.”

Now Spruce, who has yet to take the field in a Colorado uniform, the Buffs’ go-to wide receiver.

Before we press the PANIC BUTTON on the 2012 season, let’s review what Colorado has to work with this fall.

Not including the incoming freshmen (who we will get to in a minute), here is the Colorado wide receiver depth chart:

Nelson Spruce- R-Fr. – At Westlake High School, Nelson pulled in 149 career receptions for 2,795 yards and 37 touchdowns, earning him a spot on the Ventura County All-Decade Team. Spruce lists two of his strengths as “having sure hands and running good routes,” which always leads to early characterizations about the kind of receiver he will become. Sure, you know where this is going, but Kennedy isn’t sure the “possession receiver” label fits. “It’s always good to have a guy you know is going to catch it,” Kennedy said, “but from what I’ve seen out of Nelson, he’s able to wriggle free and make some big plays and score some touchdowns. I wouldn’t necessarily think of him just as a possession guy. I’ve seen him as he continues to gain more confidence be a guy who can make plays. He can become an impact guy.”

Tyler McCulloch- So. … 2011 stats: ten catches for 96 yards and one touchdown …  Kennedy termed McCulloch “still a work in progress” and said he must overcome day-to-day inconsistency: “He’ll have a good day, an off day . . . he needs through the summer to keep progressing and put things all together. We need him to step up and start making (plays).” More specifically, Kennedy said, McCulloch’s lanky physique often seems a detriment to his release from the line of scrimmage against press coverage. “He’s got to continue his development there,” Kennedy said. “And he needs to stop trying to ‘body’ catch; he’s got good hands. He just needs to continue to develop confidence in his hands. He can use his body and reach for things; catch them clean rather than trying to ‘body’ things.”

Keenan Canty – So. … 2011 stats: 14 catches for 161 yards; no touchdowns … Canty is now the Buffs’ most productive returning wide receiver, with all of his 161 yards (running back Tony Jones did have 168 yards, if you want to include all returning Buffs). “Keenan is doing so many things better than last fall, but he’s a guy I’m talking about when I mention consistency,” said Kennedy. “He’s got to show that.”

Dustin Ebner – Sr. … 2011 stats: zero catches; zero yards; zero touchdowns … Ebner, though the elder statesman of the wide receiver corps, has spent most of his career on special teams. “Dustin has showed some things,” said Kennedy. “He didn’t get many opportunities last year. But he’s showing he can make some plays.” Ebner had three catches for 15 yards in his red-shirt freshman season, back in 2009.

Jarrod Darden – Jr. … 2011 stats: zero catches; zero yards; zero touchdowns … Darden has only seen spot action in his first two seasons of eligibility. Counting his red-shirt freshman season (2009) and his senior year in high school, when he had to sit out his entire senior year with an ankle injury, it has now been four full years since Darden has had a catch in competition.

DaVaughn Thornton – Jr. … 2011 stats: six catches; 69 yards; zero touchdowns … Thornton came to Colorado as a highly recruited tight end, but the 6′-4″, 220-pound junior was not able to make it work, switching to wide receiver late last season. Coming into the spring, Thornton was listed at third on the depth chart at the “Z” wide receiver, behind Paul Richardson and Keenan Canty.

There are three walk-ons at wide receiver on the roster, juniors Tommy Papillion and Alex Turbow and sophomore Gabe Castillo. With spring practices closed to the public, it would be speculation as to whether any of these players are contributing, but the coaches have not singled them out in interviews.

What’s coming in …

Looking for immediate help this August? Colorado does have three wide receiver recruits coming in this fall camp, and all three will be given the opportunity to play as a true freshman.

“They’ll get a long, hard look,” Kennedy said. “We’ll see if they can compete with the older guys and give them the opportunity to earn a spot, just like we did with Tyler last year, and see if they can grab it and hold onto it . . . it depends on how they are when they get here, how quickly they learn, if they’re able to step up physically and compete with older guys. That’s always the big thing with wide receivers; you know they’re talented, but just like with Nelson last year, are they thinking quick enough to allow them to play fast?”

Here are the bios from the three wide receivers who were members of the CU recruiting Class of 2012, Gerald Thomas, Jeffrey Thomas, and Peyton Williams:

GERALD THOMAS – WR / KR

Just the facts … Committed July 5th … Thomas is a wide receiver prospect from The Colony, Texas. Thomas is 5’10″, 175-pounds. Thomas reportedly runs a 4.37 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others had to say about Thomas … Thomas is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Thomas is rated by Scout to be the No. 148 wide receiver prospect in the nation. 

For a 4-6 team this past fall, Thomas had 30 catches for 735 yards and seven touchdowns. As a junior, he caught 71 passes for 1,185 yards and 12 touchdowns. “I think my season could have gone a lot better,” Thomas acknowledged. “I got triple teamed and we didn’t pass the ball as much as we did my junior year.” Thomas’ 4.37 in the 40 was timed at TCU’s camp this past summer. After the camp in Dallas, this is what PurpleMenace.com had to say about Thomas: “Gerald Thomas displayed plenty of speed … He’s a Jeremy Kerley starter kit (Kerley was a star receiver for TCU in 2010, collecting 56 passes for 575 yards and ten touchdowns. Kerley also had 388 yards on punt returns and 527 yards returning kickoffs), not as bulky but a little taller and silky smooth in his route running. Prior to the start of camp, Thomas told Purplemenace.com that the coaches wanted to see how fast he could run. Thomas didn’t disappoint as he sprinted his way to a 4.37, good for third best on the day. He also had a 35-inch vertical, also one of the top numbers on the day. But, let’s get back to his route running. Thomas was the most impressive of the group. He did have a few drops, but there’s no denying that he has plenty of talent and could make a splash at TCU at the slot, ala Kerley. There’s a good reason eleven programs have offered The Colony receiver.”

Thomas had other offers from … at least ten other schools. From the Pac-12, there were offers from both of the Arizona schools. From the Big 12 came offers from Iowa State and Kansas. Iowa and Minnesota from the Big Ten had also extended offers.

In his own words … “My speed and quickness help separate me from the average high school receiver, and my competitiveness also separates me. I want to win every game,” Thomas told BuffStampede.com. “I want to go undefeated. I am great in one-on-one matchups and my route running has gotten a lot better since my sophomore year. “I used to play running back and I think that helps me as a receiver, too. After I catch the ball, I turn into a running back. I can make people miss in the open field. Every time I have the ball in my hands, I have a chance to score.”

Of his official visit in December, Thomas told BuffStampede.com, “Everyone I talked to said I was going to love it out here and I took them at their word but it was nice to see how beautiful Boulder and the University is with my own two eyes. I wish I was still up there in Boulder right now. Their coaches are real cool and laid back. They are good people, so are the players. I just loved the atmosphere and tried to soak it all up”.

One plus: Thomas won’t have to get used to a new set of school colors … “I was black and gold in middle school, black and gold in high school, and now in college,” Thomas told Scout.com. “Now I have to go on and play for the Saints, so I can keep it going!” Few Buff fans would be upset if, five years from now, Thomas is suiting up for the New Orleans Saints …

JEFFREY THOMAS – WR

Just the facts … Committed June 18th … Thomas is a wide receiver prospect from Duncanville, Texas. Thomas is 6’3″, 180-pounds, and runs a 4.66 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio YouTube video highlights ESPN bio

What others say about Thomas … Thomas is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. Scout rates Thomas to be the 117th-best wide receiver in the nation. For a 7-4 Duncanville high team this past fall, Thomas led the team with 59 receptions for 899 yards and 12 touchdowns. One report from Scout.com had this to say about Thomas: “Thomas is a big receiver with long arms who uses his body effectively to shield defenders from the ball. He will work the middle of the field and will make the sound catches. Because of the style of his game he will thrive once he gets in to college and starts to add on weight with maturity and conditioning.”

An Orangebloods.com’s scout had to say about Thomas: “I don’t know why things haven’t completely come together for the 6-3, 180-pound Thomas because he’s a guy that at his best has some absolute star upside as a receiver. Obviously, the kid has size, but he’s a guy that has flashed really good ball skills and big-play upside in his time at Duncanville. What you like about Thomas a big-play receiver is that he can stretch the field and go up to get the football. But he also has a little shake and bake after the catch that makes him a difficult player to defend in space. The knock on Thomas is that he’s not a burner and it’s fair to say that he’ll have average speed as a college receiver … At this point, he’s a work in progress, but there’s a lot there to work with. When we talk about three star prospects with four-star upside, he’s a perfect example.”

Thomas had other offers from … a number of schools, but only one other from a BCS conference school, Iowa State. Thomas did also hold offers from schools like Boise State, Memphis, Tulsa, Wyoming and North Texas. Thomas had attracted attention from Georgia, Cal, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Texas A&M.

In his own words … Colorado used wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy’s seven years of service as the recruiting coordinator at Texas to its advantage. “I met (coach Kennedy) at a Texas camp and when he changed schools he kept up with me,” Thomas told BuffStampede.com. “He came out to spring ball (in May) and offered me on the spot. I was excited about that.”
Thomas said he’s intrigued by Colorado and the prospect of playing in the Pac-12. He also likes the idea of playing in a pro-style offense. ”I think my biggest strength is my ability to go up and make plays, I’d consider myself a physical receiver and I definitely like to use my size and strength to my advantage,”  Thomas told the OldCoach.com, who says he wants to improve his straight line speed and his route running this summer.

“Out of all the schools that I talked to and possibly could get an offer from, Colorado just had everything right to offer and I see no downside to it. Now was a better time than ever,” Thomas told BuffStampede.com. “When I committed, I talked to every coach on their staff and they all loved me and can’t wait to get me out there. They were excited.” Thomas grew up in the Richmond area of Northern California. He moved to the Lone Star State prior to seventh grade. “I have a lot of family still out there in California and they can come see me play in the Pac-12,” Thomas said. “I wanted to play in the Pac-12 my whole life. Knowing that I am going to play against USC and Oregon and all those schools, it is just great.”

PEYTON WILLIAMS – WR

Just the facts … Committed July 14th … Williams is a wide receiver prospect from Southlake, Texas. Williams is 6’1″, 185-pounds, and runs a 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others had to say about Williams … Williams is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but only a two–star prospect by Scout.  As a senior, Williams, before being injured, had 81 catches for 1,064 yards and ten touchdowns. Williams’ Carroll Dragons went 16-0 and was ranked as the No. 14 team nationally (Williams was injured in the first quarter of the state semi-finals). Last May, Williams’ 4×400 relay team captured a state championship. “I had a low 48 in my split, which wasn’t my best, but we won with a time of 3:13,” Williams said.

Williams had other offers from … a diverse collection of schools, including Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Memphis, Tulsa, Wyoming, and North Texas. Other schools reportedly showing interest were Kansas, Texas Tech, Iowa and West Virgnia. Why Colorado? Thank CU wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy. “I call Coach Kennedy every week,” Williams told BuffStampede.com back in April. “I love Coach Kennedy. He was at Texas, now he is there. Colorado seems like a really cool place.”

In his own words … “My personality is that I’m not satisfied with anything,” Williams told Patherlair.com. “I’m trying to work on everything. I’m not happy with anything yet.” As far as his game skills, Williams told BuffStampede.com: “I am not afraid to go across the middle and make plays and I am a good blocker. I like to think I have the whole package.”

Concerning his knee injury … “I had surgery (in early January) and it went really, really well,” Williams told BuffStampede.com. “The doctors were very pleased and very impressed with how it went. I started rehab that next week so I am already into that. It feels good. You just sit there for a while and you sulk and stuff but now I have the surgery over with, that is a big step, and now I have the rehab, standing up and walking and all those steps. Every day it is getting better.”

Some Colorado fans wondered if Williams might grayshirt and join the Buffs next spring. Williams says that has never been discussed. Not only does Williams not see himself as a grayshirt candidate, he is not even looking at a red-shirt season in 2012. “Well, I’m anticipating I’ll be full go (for fall), but, you know, they say about six months,” Williams told BuffaloSportsNews.net. “But I’m not like most people. I’m going to work a lot harder. So I’ll probably heal a lot faster I’m assuming.”

April 9th

Suspensions “indefinite” until investigation concluded

CSU head coach Jim McElwain confirmed Monday that the three players he suspended from the team on Saturday were those who were involved in a fight Friday night.

According to the Coloradoan … The three players – linebacker Mike Orakpo and defensive ends Nordly Capi and Colton Paulhus – were suspended indefinitely by the coach, who said he is waiting for police and university investigations into the incident to be completed before taking any additional action.

Four freshmen students said they were they were beaten up by a group of Colorado State University football players after a verbal exchange of taunts near the intersection of Laporte Avenue and Shields Street following a late-night party Friday. One of the freshman, John ”JD” Haley told the Coloradoan on Sunday that they had been asked not to specifically identify the attackers in public while the criminal investigation is ongoing. He said the rest of the football team offered apologies and condolences to he and the other victims throughout the weekend.

”At this point, the three players reported to be involved in the incident over the weekend are indefinitely suspended from the football program,” McElwain said in a statement released about 11:30 this morning through the school’s sports information office. ”That means they are effectively no longer part of this team and will not take part in any football-related activity. We do not condone in any way, shape or fort this type of behavior. It is completely unacceptable.

”I understand people want me to remove them from the team immediately. But until the investigation concludes and due process takes its course, suspending them indefinitely is the strongest action I can take.”

April 8th

Colorado State suspends three, including two starters

One day after leading the defense in a 27-sack onslaught during a scrimmage (see April 7th story, below), star defensive end Nordly Capi has been suspended from the team.

Nordly Capi a junior, was suspended along with  junior linebacker Mike Orakpo and junior defensive end Colton Paulhaus. All three were all suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules. There is no timetable for how long the suspensions will last.

Capi led CSU last season with 10 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He was named to the Mountain West all-conference team and earned honorable mention All-American honors from Sports Illustrated. Orakpo has played in all 24 games in his career and was third on the team in tackles in 2011 with 87. Paulhaus played mostly on special teams in 2011, recording seven tackles on the season.

There was no immediate indication that the suspensions were directly related to the St. Patrick’s Day incident which involved both Capi and Orakpo.

UPDATE – A later story in the Coloradoan indicates that the suspensions are related to a fight which broke out in the dorms on Friday night.

Four CSU freshmen are recovering from injuries they say they suffered at the fists and feet of fellow students and university football players following a late-night party in Fort Collins.

“It wasn’t really much of a fight. It was basically just a beating,” said freshman John ‘JD’ Haley, 19, who suffered a black eye, cuts and bruises while trying to protect his friend during the attack. “I’ve never seen anyone so mad, so violent. The kid was on a rampage.”

Members of the football team have been apologizing all weekend to the four students about the incident that happened late Friday night in Fort Collins. CSU football player Trey Cassidy posted on Facebook that he worried the public would paint the entire team with the same brush. “Well first off, I want to apologize for what my teammates have done to three students last night. I just talked to the students who were assaulted. I hang out in their hall regularly, and do not believe that there is any hostility between us,” Cassidy wrote on a Facebook group where Haley had posted photos of his injuries. “I figured everyone else should know that not everyone on the team are like these athletes that get into fights every other weekend. But it is this select few… that get the rest of us labeled as a group, you would assume that everyone on campus would realize this. But let’s face reality people, some people are going to label the entire team as hot headed people that can’t be trusted.”

Cassidy later added: “A group of football players jumped a few students, I am not allowed to really get into it but I can say they are currently suspended.”

So, while the names of the football players involved in the fight have not been officially released, it is not difficult to connect the dots here. Three players were involved in a fight on Friday, and three players on the football team were suspended for “violating team rules” on Saturday.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out … those of us in the Buff Nation know how it would have played out had the incident taken place in Boulder with CU football players involved …

April 7th

CSU scrimmage a sack-fest

Colorado has its problems along the defensive line, with so few healthy bodies available that the CU Spring Game will be reduced to a Spring Scrimmage.

Still, if the status of the Buffs’ first opponent for 2011 doesn’t improve, Jon Embree may have any number of his nine true freshmen coming in this August volunteering to open their careers against Colorado State.

The Rams conducted a scrimmage on Friday, with 131 plays being run. Out of those 131 plays, CSU quarterbacks were sacked 27 times.

You read that correctly … 27 times.

According to the Coloradoan … C.J. James had five of the sacks, and fellow defensive ends Nordly Capi and John Froland had four sacks apiece as the Rams’ defensive line completely overwhelmed the offensive front with a variety of stunts and blitzes that often left defenders with clear paths to the quarterbacks.

McElwain doesn’t allow defenders to hit the quarterbacks during practice, so plays were simply blown dead by the officials whenever a defender got to a quarterback before he could get rid of the ball.

The four quarterbacks, battling winds gusting in excess of 20 mph, completed just 27-of-58 passes for 207 yards with one interception, which redshirt freshman linebacker Cory James returned 31 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore Garrett Grayson, who started the final three games for the Rams’ last season, was 11-of-21 for 101 yards, while redshirt freshman Conner Smith, last year’s scout-team quarterback, was 8-of-12 for 63 yards. Senior M.J. McPeek was 8-of-21 for 43 yards and threw the interception, while Craig Leonard, a true freshman out of Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, was 0-for-4.

The only other touchdown of the 1-hour, 45-minute scrimmage came on a four-yard run by Tommey Morris.

Sophomore kicker Jared Roberts missed his first two field-goal tries from 48 and 33 yards out but made the other two from 41 and 26 yards out.

Junior Chris Nwoke, who ran for 1,130 yards last season, was the leading rusher with 52 yards on seven carries. Morris finished with 33 yards on eight carries, and redshirt freshman Davon Riddick had 29 yards on five carries.

Colorado State is coming off of three consecutive 3-9 seasons. New head coach Jim McElwain has been brought in to break that pattern, but from the above numbers, it does not appear that the Rams are ready just yet to make bowl plans.

April 6th

Spring game activities set

The only opportunity for Colorado Buff fans to watch the 2012 players this spring comes on Saturday, April 14th.

The kickoff for the game is set for 5:00 p.m., but is only one of several activities set for that day.

At 2:00 p.m., there is a “Feast and Fix” with former head coach Bill McCartney at the practice bubble. In addition to Coach Mac and Coach Embree, the 2012 team and former Buffs will also be in attendance. The cost for this event is $10.

At 3:30 p.m., there is the chance to watch former Buffs in an Alumni flag football game.

After the Spring game, at around 8:00 p.m., the CU mens’ lacrosse club team will take on the Utah Utes.

The format for the Spring “Game” at present, due to injuries on the defensive line, will be a standard offense versus defense scrimmage (1’s vs. 1’s, 2’s vs. 2’s, 1’s vs. 2’s, 3’s vs. 3’s, etc). There will likely be quarters, or at least halves. With the smaller roster and injuries, the team scrimmaged minimally this spring (three short sessions instead of extended ones).

Here is a link to all of the above activities – Go Buffs!

April 4th

Bill McCartney’s grandson joins CU staff

The legacy of Coach Mac (the real one, not the new pretender up in Ft. Collins) continues …

T.C. McCartney, the son of former CU quarterback Sal Aunese, and the grandson of former CU head coach Bill McCartney, is joining the Buffs.

McCartney has decided to come home after nearly five years at Louisiana State as a football player and graduate assistant coach under head coach (and former CU assistant coach) Les Miles to join the program his father once led at quarterback.

Colorado coach Jon Embree offered McCartney the chance to continue his graduate assistant work in Boulder where he grew up and played high school football.

T.C. McCartney, the oldest grandson of former CU head coach Bill McCartney, will officially join the Buffs as an offensive graduate assistant on Aug. 1 when a new NCAA rule takes effect allowing programs to have four graduate assistant coaches, two on each side of the ball. In the past, programs have been limited to two graduate assistants.

“That’s definitely exciting,” T.C. McCartney said in an article in the Camera. “It was all Colorado football since I was born. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be a part of so it will be nice to finally get to do that.”

T.C. McCartney is the second grandson of Bill McCartney to join the program in the past two months. His half brother, Derek McCartney, signed a national letter of intent with the Buffs in February to play defensive end. Derek McCartney has agreed to grayshirt next fall, delaying his enrollment until January. So the brothers won’t actually be on the field and in team meetings together until 2013.

Though they grew up together — Derek is the son of former CU defensive lineman Shannon Clavelle — the brothers were far enough apart in age that they never were able to be teammates in any of the sports they played.

McCartney was a star quarterback at Fairview high in Boulder, and was a walk-on at LSU in 2007, being a part of the Tigers’ national championship team as a freshman.

McCartney spent three years as a scout team quarterback for the Tigers, finally getting awarded with a scholarship last year while filling a role that included signaling in the plays from the sidelines. After completing his playing career, McCartney remained with the program to pursue his master’s degree in education while launching his coaching career with LSU last season.

 Welcome home, T.C.!

Colorado State head coach looking for answers

New Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain is being referred to by the Ram faithful as “Coach Mac”.

Which is, of course, sacreligious talk in the Buff Nation.

But, if nothing else, coach McElwain is providing good fodder for Buff fans.

On Tuesday, McElwain dissed the Rams’ 2 1/2 year old, $13 million indoor practice facility (see story, below).

On Wednesday, McElwain was asked, according to the Coloradoan …

On the pieces of the team he likes:

“Right now, we really look good at stretching. I get excited about that.”

The other Coach Mac also likes the weather in Ft. Collins: “This weather with no humidity is awesome”.

Go, Rams, Go!

Stretch, Rams, Stretch!

April 3rd

CSU head coach critical of practice facilities

Toto, I don’t think we’re in Tuscaloosa anymore …

New Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain practiced in the Rams’ indoor practice facility for the first – and possibly the last – time Monday.

According to the Coloradoan … “I’ve got to really evaluate,” McElwain said after the 1-hour, 50-minute session in the 2 1/2-year-old facility, which cost $13 million to build. “And to be productive and successful, it doesn’t do us any good to practice in here.”

McElwain said there simply wasn’t enough room to conduct a proper practice. The indoor facility’s field is 70 yards long, counting a full end zone at one end. A regular football field is 120 yards, counting the two 10-yard end-zones at each end of the 100-yard playing field.

McElwain said he moved the practice indoors on a cool but not unusually cold day so that he and his staff could get a feel for what they would and would not be able to do when weather forces them to practice indoors.

“We wanted to, as a staff, get an idea of our limitations and really what it showed is we aren’t really going to be able to use this much,” McElwain said.

For the record … CU’s “bubble” is about the same size as CSU’s facility …

April 2nd

Season ticket renewals coming due

Hope your tax refund is readily available …

The CU season ticket renewals have just gone out (I got my email today), and the deadline is coming … next week.

Renewals are due by Friday, April 13th. If you need to get your season ticket renewal going, here is a link to the CU season ticket page.

Go Buffs!

April 1st

Texas still struggling to find a starting quarterback

Perhaps the Longhorns miss Connor Wood more than they thought they would …

It has not been the best of times in Austin. The last two seasons, Texas has posted records of 5-7 (2-6 in the Big 12) and 8-5 (4-5 in the Big 12, including a 55-17 loss to Oklahoma). The Longhorns enter the 2012 season with two year losing streaks to Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Baylor (Baylor! Imagine how well that is sitting with the UT faithful!).

Much of the concern over the 13-12 overall record over the past two seasons has had to do with poor play at the quarterback position.

Texas has just concluded its practices for the spring, with no resolution as to who will be quarterback this fall.

March 29th

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott calls the conference “undervalued”

A $3 billion television contract? Peanuts.

A network, wholly owned by the conference, which may bring even more revenue to the league than the television network? Just getting warmed up.

In an article in Broadcastingcable.com, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott indicated that the best may be yet to come. Speaking at the American Association of Advertising Agencies meeting in Los Angeles Thursday, Scott said “revenue from television is still a fraction of what it should be.” Ratings of big college football games are comparable to Monday Night Football NFL telecasts on ESPN, but rights fees are a lot less, he says, blaming a landscape with 31 division one conferences and a structure in which rights reside with the NCAA, with conferences and with individual schools for fragmenting the market.

The Pac-12 Network, coming in August, will have seven feeds. One will be national; the others will be localized, with Pac-12 networks in L.A., the Bay Area, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Mountain.

That should create opportunities for marketers. “With seven different feeds, we’ll be able to maximize audience from an advertiser perspective. It allows us to be very flexible and efficient in terms of a national platform,” Scott said. You can be a regional advertiser or a local advertiser. If you are company that just has business in the L.A. area, you can buy on the Pac-12 L.A. network.

The conference has also rolled up the digital rights to all the member school’s websites, creating a one-stop-shopping opportunity. “This is what pro sports do. We’re applying it for the first time to the college space.”

The network will launch in August after the Olympics and will air seven football games when the season starts Labor Day weekend.

Utah State and San Jose State take a half step up

The Southwest Conference … The Big Eight … The Pac-10 …

The Western Athletic Conference?

The WAC has been around since 1962, and started with members including Arizona and Arizona State. Now, while enjoying its 50th year in existence, the WAC may be fading away.

Present members Utah State and San Jose State are set to bolt the WAC for the Mountain West Conference, starting in 2013. This leaves the Western Athletic Conference with only a handful of teams playing football. The remaining existing members which will carry through are Idaho, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech, to be joined this fall by Texas State and the University of Texas – San Antonio (Denver, Seattle, and UT Arlington are also joining the WAC, but do not field football programs). Texas – San Antonio has already stated its intention to defect to Conference USA in 2013, while Louisiana Tech, for its part, may well do the same.

Farewell, Western Athletic Conference? We’ll see …

So where does this leave the Mountain West?

Come 2013, the league will be made up of the following: Air Force; Colorado State; Wyoming; New Mexico; UNLV; Nevada; Hawai’i (football only); Fresno State; Utah State; and San Jose State.

Not exactly a murderer’s row.

With the coming elmination of the “Automatic Qualifier” vs. “Non-Automatic Qualifier” restriction for entry into the new BCS playoffs (or whatever it is eventually called), the path to an undefeated season for Colorado State – and other MWC members - may be eased.

Which will, in fact, make it all the more difficult to get there.

Even with the discussed merger between the Mountain West and Conference USA, it will be difficult for any Mountain West team to put together a resume good enough to qualify for a national championship semi-final. Teams will have to put together a strong non-conference resume to garner any national respect.

Think Colorado State is thinking along those lines?

Think again.

Other than Colorado and a home-and-home seriese with Minnesota planned for 2015 & 2016, the Rams do not have a single BCS conference team on their schedule for the remainder of the decade. Colorado State has planned games against the likes of North Dakota State, Cal Poly, and UTEP … not exactly the same as Boise State taking on Georgia to bolster its resume. (The Rams do play both Utah State and San Jose State in 2012 in non-conference play – a taste of things to come).

So, for the foreseeable future, Colorado State has no plans to compete for a national championship, or even a national ranking.

Their biggest game of the season will continue to be their Super Bowl … the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

April 28th

Pac-12 has 28 players taken in 2012 NFL draft

Quick quiz: Which Pac-12 team had the most players taken in the 2012 NFL draft?

USC? Nope.

Oregon? Nah.

Stanford? Nyet.

Try the Cal Bears, who had six players drafted this spring, including two second-rounders, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz and linebacker Mychael Kendricks. The 2012 draft actually netted a top 60 pick from Cal for the sixth straight year. Translation: Jeff Tedford can recruit and develop talent – he just can’t win the Pac-12.

Notes from around the Pac-12 … Oregon and Stanford each had four players drafted, with all four of the Cardinal players who were taken going off the board in the first two rounds (and the first 42 picks overall) … USC had three players taken in the draft, but so did bottom-feeder Arizona (including quarterback Nick Foles, the first Wildcat starting quarterback drafted since 1961) … Joining Colorado with two draft picks were Washington and Arizona State. With the Huskies and the Sun Devils, the news was about the players who were not drafted. For Washington, it was running back Chris Polk (injury-prone), while for Arizona State it was all about linebacker Vontaze Binfet (attitude) … Coming in with one draft pick each was Utah and Oregon State, while Washington State and UCLA were shut out of the 2012 draft. While it would be easy to mock the Rick Neuheisel-recruited Bruins, the bad news for the Buff Nation is that CU head coach Jon Embree’s son, wide receiver Taylor Embree, went undrafted.

Overall, the Pac-12 had a down year compared to the other Big Six Conferences. Not surprisingly, the SEC, winner of the last six BCS championships, led the way, with 42 picks. The Big Ten was not far behind, though, with 41. Coming in third was the ACC with 31, followed by the Pac-12. Trailing the Pac-12 was the Big 12, with 26, and the Big East, with only 12 draft picks.

Pac-12 free-agent signings of note …

Quarterback Tyler Hansen – Cincinnati Bengals

Running back Rodney Stewart – Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive lineman Conrad Obi – Arizona Cardinals

Others …

Former CU running back Darrell Scott – Dallas Cowboys

UCLA wide receiver Tyler Embree – San Diego Chargers

Infamous Oregon speedster Cliff Harris – Philadelphia Eagles

Washington running back Chris Polk – Philadelphia Eagles

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict – Cincinnati Bengals

–

April 27th

More two-star collegiate recruits taken in the first round than five-star recruits

(Many thanks to Ron Ward over at BuffStampede.com for compiling these statistics)

Recruiting is still an art, not a science …

Common sense would suggest that the first round of the NFL draft would be heavily-laden with stars from BCS conference schools.

True enough – only three of the 32 players selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft came from outside of the power conferences (with two of those coming from Boise State, which is joining the Big East).

Common sense would also suggest that the first round of the NFL draft would be heavily-laden with former five-star high school recruits.

Not so much.

Only four of the 32 players selected were former five-star recruits. In fact, there were more former two-star recruits (five) taken, then there were former blue-chips.

The breakdown: Five-stars – 4; Four stars – 13; Three stars – 9; Two stars – 5; unrated – 1.

Granted, there are always far fewer five star players rated each season, and the percentage of former five-star prospects taken in the first round (3.67%) is significantly higher than those chosen from the pool of four-star prospects (1.19%) or three-stars (0.31%).

Still, it is worthy of note that the door to NFL riches is not closed on those players who are not considered “can’t miss” prospects out of high school.

Quite the contrary.

Other stats of note … Four Pac-12 players were chosen in the first round, two each from Stanford (which had expected as many as four first round draft picks) and two from USC … The vast majority of first round picks (25 of 32, or 78%) went to college 500 miles or less from where they went to high school … 19 of the 32 players chosen were underclassmen.

April 26th

Some progress made at BCS meetings

According to the Associated Press … Football Bowl Subdivision conference commissioners, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and other college football officials Thursday agreed to eliminate eight-team and 16-team playoff proposals to determine the sport’s future national champions, but settled on very little else during weeklong meetings at a beachside resort here.

After meetings Thursday, BCS spokesman Bill Hancock said the sport’s 11 FBS conference commissioners would take “two to seven” playoff proposals — each involving four teams — back to their respective university presidents, athletic directors and coaches to discuss for the next five to seven weeks.

BCS officials and conference commissioners are scheduled to meet in Chicago again in June.

“Having carefully reviewed calendars and schedules, we believe that either an eight-team or a 16-team playoff would diminish the regular season and harm the bowls,” the BCS said in a statement. “College football’s regular season is too important to diminish and we do not believe it’s in the best interest of student-athletes, fans, or alumni to harm the regular season.

“Accordingly, as we proceed to review our options for improving the postseason, we have taken off the table both an eight-team and 16-team playoff.”

Hancock said another proposal eliminated was the idea of having three semifinal games if the champions of the Big Ten or Pac-12 were among the four teams competing in the playoffs.

Under that proposal — which never seemed to carry much weight with many commissioners — the Big Ten and/or Pac-12 team would have played in the Rose Bowl — with four other teams competing in the national semifinals — and then two winning teams would have been selected to play in a championship game.

Another development was the agreement by FBS commissioners and other officials to eliminate the practice of designating conferences as “AQ” and “non-AQ” leagues.

Under current BCS rules, champions of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC automatically receive a spot in one of the five BCS bowl games — Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar and the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. Champions of Conference USA and the Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences have to meet other criteria to qualify for a BCS bowl game.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott likes “Champions only” model

What four-team model will win out?

It’s either going to be the highest four ranked teams or conference champions only. If it’s the conference-only model, there obviously would have to be a way Notre Dame could qualify.

The most likely “champion-only” model would be with the three highest ranked conference champions qualifying and the fourth spot going to the next highest-ranked conference champion, the highest ranked non-champion or Notre Dame (or independents BYU, Navy and Army) — whichever team is ranked highest.

Some commissioners, including Larry Scott of the Pac-12, favor this model because it emphasizes the importance of winning a conference championship and pits conference champions against each other.

Some commissioners, including Mike Slive of the SEC, favor the top four ranked teams because in theory it advances the four best teams to the playoff. You could be one of the nation’s top four teams without winning your conference (see Alabama 2011).

A commissioner, whose league would benefit from the champion-only model, admitted having the top four teams simplifies things. He said how do you explain a four-team playoff between the nation’s Nos. 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-ranked teams (which is exactly what would have happened if this format was in place 2011 with No. 1 LSU (SEC), No. 3 Oklahoma State (Big 12), No. 5 Oregon (Pac-12) and No. 10 Wisconsin (Big Ten).

“I like the simplicity of 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3,” he said.

Still much to be discussed and debated … with no decision expected until June, and no implimentation until 2014 …

April 25th

Big Ten commissioner: “there’s going to be a change”

As the BCS conference commissioners continue to meet in Florida this week (see April 24th story, below), Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany commented Wednesday that the talks are continuing to make progress.

According to the AP … Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany says BCS officials are narrowing the field of possible changes to college football’s postseason and the Rose Bowl is not standing in the way of progress.

Among the options being discussed Wednesday is a four-team playoff that could be held separate from the bowls.

Delany says there is “pretty high expectation that there’s going to be change.”

He also says he wants the group to proceed with caution.

He says: “I just want to make sure that the changes that we make are evolutionary. That they support the regular season. That … from a Rose Bowl perspective, that they sustain that tradition.”

According to ESPN, there is a model which is gathering the most support …

• The model: The leader in the clubhouse seems to be the same model proposed by in 2008: a four-team, plus-one system. The top four teams in the final BCS standings would play in two semifinals: No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3. The winners would play in a championship game a week or two later. What isn’t clear is whether the semifinals and championship game would be played at the site of existing BCS bowl games or other neutral sites.

For now, at least, there doesn’t seem to be much support for any playoff models that involve more than four teams. And simply adding a national championship game after the BCS bowl games are played — and picking the best two teams to play in it — doesn’t seem to have much traction, either.

“There’s a chance they could only tweak the current system and only deal with No. 1 vs. No. 2,” a source familiar with the discussions said. “But I think they’re too far out on a limb to turn back now. I don’t think that would be considered good enough.”

• The sites: Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany proposed playing the semifinals at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams, with the championship game being played at a neutral site. Big Ten fans have long complained about their schools having to play postseason games in warmer climates like Arizona, Louisiana and Florida, which might favor their opponents from the ACC, Pac-12 and SEC.

 ”It would be fun getting one of those Southern schools up here in our weather in December,” Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith said. “That would make it pretty interesting. I don’t know if that would fly, but I’d love to see that. We’ve been playing away from home all these years. You go to the Orange Bowl a lot of times — I can remember Nebraska, they’re going to the Fiesta Bowl one year and playing Arizona State, going down and playing Miami in the Orange Bowl, Florida in Florida. So the northern schools are always playing on the road in those games. So that would be a nice change, an interesting change. I don’t know if the Southern schools would be in favor of it.”

Michigan coach Brady Hoke, whose Wolverines defeated Virginia Tech 23-20 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans last season, said it’s only fair that some of the games are played in the Midwest.

“This isn’t golf,” Hoke said. “This is football. Football is played in all kinds of environments and climates.”

But a source familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.com that conference commissioners have all but ruled out playing the semifinal games at the higher-seeded teams’ home stadiums because some of the FBS teams’ stadiums aren’t big enough to accommodate larger crowds. An inadequate number of hotel rooms and lack of infrastructure in some college towns are also concerns.

“As romantic as it would be to have the semifinal games played on campus, and it would certainly fit into what college football is about, it’s just too much to overcome logistically,” the source said.

Commissioners of the 11 Football Bowl Subdivisions conferences are still considering a proposal that would use a selection committee to choose the teams for a potential four-team playoff, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott and SEC commissioner Michael Slive said after BCS meetings on Wednesday.

Using a committee similar to the one used to select the 68-team field for the NCAA men’s basketball committee is just one of the proposals being discussed

• The Rose Bowl Game: A person familiar with the BCS discussions described the Rose Bowl as the “elephant that’s always in the room.” The Rose Bowl wants to keep its traditional tie-ins with the Big Ten and Pac-12. Delany wants Big Ten teams to keep playing in Pasadena, Calif., and Scott wants the same tradition to continue for Pac-12 schools.

Delany’s proposal to have a third semifinal at the Rose Bowl — if a Big Ten or Pac-12 team was among the top four teams in the final BCS standings — didn’t get much thought from other FBS conference commissioners. If the Rose Bowl wants to keep a matchup between Big Ten and Pac-12 teams, it might be left out of the rotation for hosting national semifinals games, if that’s where commissioners decide the semifinals are going to be played. The Rose Bowl would still be eligible to bid for hosting the national championship game, though.

“I know [the Rose Bowl] is very important for our commissioner,” Wisconsin athletics director Barry Alvarez said. “I think it’s important to the other directors to keep that relationship. I heard Jim Delany say this the other day: ‘The Rose Bowl is probably one of the top 10 sports properties in the world.’ And we’ve had the long history and tradition with it, and I don’t think we want to lose that. Kids coming up now, they want to play in the national championship game, but kids in the Midwest still want to play in the Rose Bowl. It still takes my breath away. When you take that field and the sun’s setting over the San Gabriel Mountains and the field is so pretty — and I’ve coached and been a director in seven of them — and I get the same feeling every time I walk in there.”

April 24th

FBS Commissioners meet on playoff options

Commissioners of the 11 FBS conferences, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and other network TV and college football officials are meeting in Hollywood, Fla., this week to discuss the future of the BCS.

The source told ESPN that he believed the commissioners “are too far out on a limb to turn back now,” but said there were still many details yet to be finalized. A final decision on the BCS isn’t expected this week, but the commissioners and other officials are expected to begin hammering out many of the details of a four-team playoff.

“I don’t know how they could walk back at this point, but they might,” the source said. “I think because they’re dealing in a world of compromise, I think there’s a chance they could only tweak the current system and only deal with No. 1 versus No. 2. But I think they’re too far out on a limb to turn back now.”

The BCS hopes to emerge from these meetings in Florida with no more than two or three football postseason proposals to be brought to conference leaders soon, BCS executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN’s Joe Schad Tuesday.

“They know this game is in the fourth quarter,” Hancock said. “And it’s time to get it done.”

A proposal to play the semifinal games at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams is all but dead, according to the source. The semifinal games will either be hosted by the existing BCS bowl games or opened for bidding. The source said it seemed almost certain that the national championship game will be opened to bidding by the existing BCS bowl sites and other cities such as Atlanta, Dallas and Indianapolis.

The conference commissioners have reached a conclusion that some FBS schools’ stadiums aren’t large enough to host a national semifinal game and that many college towns don’t have enough hotel rooms to accommodate bigger crowds.

“What happens if TCU finishes No. 2 in the country and hosts a semifinal game?” the source said. “TCU finished No. 3 two years ago. Are they really hosting No. 3 Ohio State in a 45,000-seat stadium? Where are people going to stay if Oregon hosts a semifinal game? In Portland? As much as it would be great for the sport to see a game played in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuscaloosa, Ala., or Lincoln, Neb., some of the logistical issues are just too severe. I think that idea has come home to roost as far as these guys are concerned.”

 And the Rose Bowl?

According to Dennis Dodd of CBSSportsline.com …

No one is saying it directly but there is significant doubt that the Rose wants to be a national semifinal in a four-team plus-one (top four teams in a bracketed playoff). That would cut into that tradition.

It’s a complicated relationship. There would be no BCS without the Rose Bowl and its two partners agreeing to join the BCS in 1998. Participating coaches, ADs and players have loved the Rose Bowl for the experience that Stoops enjoyed. But that experience has changed because of the BCS. Now the Rose’s segregated position apart from the rest of the BCS bowls keep it from what it could be — a full-fledged participant in a playoff. The feeling is that the Rose would accept keeping its rotation in hosting the championship game, but has reservations about hosting a semifinal that would keep it from being the end-all game it has become over parts of 11 decades.

Where it gets further complicated: The system needs the Rose and its 24 partners from the Pac-12 and Big Ten. They represent approximately one-fifth of the 120 schools in FBS. There can’t be a legitimate postseason without them.

“At some point you’re going to have to ask if the Rose Bowl is going to compete for the national championship?” said a source with interest in this week’s discussions.

The same source proposed that the Rose be able to keep its traditional Jan. 1 date and its traditional 5 p.m. ET starting time, but would basically be told it has to open its doors to a “quality game,” in a national playoff.

While the media has been told there will be a consensus when the new postseason is announced (possibly as early as late June) that doesn’t mean a “vote” inside the room couldn’t go against the Rose. Adding to the mystery: We know Delany’s protective stance. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott has been strangely low-key on the matter.

Old guard vs. new guard? Scott changed the game in the Pac-12 by expanding, negotiating a new TV contract and adding a network. Having his champion open to other bowls may be a way of extending the Pac-12 brand.

In the current BCS structure, the Rose hosts the national championship game once very four years as well as its traditional game each year. That once-every-four years double-hosting has occurred only once for the Rose: Alabama beat Texas in the 2010 BCS title game six days after TCU beat Wisconsin in the traditional Rose.

If the Big Ten and/or Pac-12 champion play in the BCS title game, the Rose has been allowed in most years get replacements from the conferences. In 2011, TCU went to Pasadena because the bowl was contractually bound that season to take the highest-ranked non-automatic qualifier. Even then, only five times in the past 66 postseason games played in Rose Bowl Stadium (including BCS title games) had the matchup not been Pac-12 vs. Big Ten. Those five times have all occurred since the 2001 season.

We’ll find out soon if the Rose and its partners are getting fed up with that sort of “invasion” or more used to it.

In a four-team plus-one, the possibility exists of a playoff game in the Rose Bowl between Boise State and Boston College. That’s just an example, but one that would make some Rose loyalists choke on their Merlot. Don’t feel sorry for the Granddaddy just yet. Delany is in there fighting hard. Whether it came from him or not, the “four-team plus” contained in this memo earlier this month would have given the Rose even more preferential treatment. 

The four-team plus was largely panned to the point that even SEC commissioner Mike Slive said that the idea, “… is not one of my favorites.”

The Rose grew in stature because of its location (Southern California), TV (beaming images of Southern California in early January) and the wide appeal of those two conferences. It was the first bowl with two league tie-ins. Before the bowl boom, stars and legends were made in the floor of the Rose. It was almost a championship in itself.

Not anymore. The Rose gave up a bit of its tradition when it joined the BCS in 1998. It will have to give up more to be included as an equal partner in college football’s new postseason.

Get ready for that Boise State-Boston College matchup, or something like it, in Pasadena in the near future.

Meanwhile, ESPN bloggers disagree on the Rose Bowl’s future

The ESPN bloggers have taken sharply divergent views on how the Rose Bowl should figure into the national championship playoff picture.

Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller argues that the Rose Bowl should be a top priority in this week’s negotiations:

We know that one of the four options that will be discussed — as first reported by USA Today — is the “Four Teams Plus” plan. It would make the Rose Bowl an automatic part of a “playoff” that would determine the national champion. The four highest-ranked teams at the end of the regular season would meet in semifinals unless the Big Ten or Pac-12 champion, or both, were among the top four. Those leagues’ teams still would meet in the Rose, and the next highest-ranked team or teams would slide into the semis. The national championship finalists would be selected after those three games.

This plan has been widely ridiculed, and for good reason. It’s ridiculous. It continues to add subjectivity to the process instead of having more decided on the field of play. That’s what we are trying to get rid of.

As I’ve said before, it doesn’t seem that complicated to have a four-team playoff set, then let the Rose Bowl choose next, likely the best available teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten.

Why should the Rose Bowl get priority? Because it’s the Rose Bowl.

Should there be flexibility to the Big Ten-Pac-12 matchup? Perhaps. It’s already happened without great loss of life (though there has been a bit of wincing, particularly one year in Berkeley). It might be unavoidable. The game itself, however, is the most sacred relic.

The hope here is this won’t end up being only a Jim Delany and Larry Scott crusade. The Big Ten and Pac-12 commissioners obviously have the most at stake among all the pooh-bahs in Florida, but there’s no reason for SEC don Mike Slive et al to go all Sun Tzu on the Rose Bowl just to score an Art of War point.

Meanwhile, Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg argues that the priority for the Big Ten Conference should not be preserving the sanctity of the Rose Bowl, but rather trying to get more bowl/playoff games closer to home country:

If a four-team postseason plan is green-lighted, as many expect, Delany must ensure that it’s possible for at least some of the games to be played in or near the Big Ten footprint. Because the current system doesn’t serve the Big Ten or its fans.

There are myriad reasons for the Big Ten’s downturn during the BCS era, but the location of the most significant bowl games, including the national championship, undoubtedly hurts the league, which has played several virtual road contests.

Since the BCS launched in 1998, the Big Ten has dropped two games to LSU in New Orleans, including the national title game after the 2007 season. The Big Ten also is 0-4 against USC at the Rose Bowl. While there are exceptions, like Penn State’s Orange Bowl win against Florida State, Big Ten teams generally become roadkill in these matchups.

The Big Ten’s destination dilemma is inherent within the current bowl/BCS system. The big bowl games always have been played in the south and west, and because of the “double-hosting” model, the same holds true for the national championship games. Most Big Ten fans understand the reasons behind this, and have willingly hopped on airplanes every December and traveled far and wide to see their teams play. It’s this willingness that has made Big Ten teams so attractive to BCS bowl committees.

Yes, has to be,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith recently told ESPN.com. “If you go neutral sites, you’ve got to have one in the Midwest. You’ve just got to. If it’s campus sites, it’s hard to dictate that, because it depends on the rankings. If you go campus sites, you hope some Midwest team is up there and they get to host.”

Although Big Ten fans travel better than any in the country, the cost of making two long trips — for the semifinals and championship game — in a short span around the holidays will be too much for many to bear.

“If you think about it, just about every conference now has a [championship game], so you expect your fans to go to that,” Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, who is attending the BCS meetings along with Delany, told ESPN.com. “Now you’re going to go to a bowl site, and if you’re in a championship game, that’s three games you want them to travel to. It would be nice if one of those games would be at a home site, or two of them.”

—

So, will there be a big announcement this week?

“Don’t expect much in the way of news,” Hancock said. “The next big step is for conferences to review the formats during their meetings in May and June.”

Until then, there are a lot of elusive agreements to be sought.

“Many, many details remain to be discussed,” Hancock said. “This will be another round of talking about the details. I think people don’t realize the intricacy of something like this.”

And that could be a problem. Even if everyone agrees that change is needed, there must be an agreement on what kind of change will occur.

“My fear,” one college insider said, “is that the fighting over the details leads to something nobody wants.”

April 23rd

Vote to Bring College GameDay to Boulder

What was it? The last time College GameDay was in Boulder? 1995? 1996?

Too long.

Okay, it’s a longshot, but CU fans can vote to bring College GameDay to Boulder … just go to this link and vote.

As of this writing, Colorado is 24th in the voting. Arkansas is 1st; Nebraska is 2nd. The highest total for a Pac-12 team is Washington State, in at 8th.

Vote early! Vote often! Bring CU alum Chris Fowler back to Boulder!!

“Renew Hughes” up against “Be Bold” in Ft. Collins

Envision anything like this happening in Lincoln? …

A final decision on a new footballl stadium in Ft. Collins for the Colorado State Rams will not be made until next month, both proponents and opponents are already in full battle mode.

According to the Coloradoan… One side is putting up yard signs all over town, urging CSU to “Renew Hughes.” Those supporting the other side were distributing T-shirts at Saturday’s annual Green and Gold Spring Game at Hughes, urging fans of Colorado State University’s football program to “Be Bold.”

Despite CSU President Tony Frank’s plea that the decision about whether to build an on-campus stadium not polarize the community, it clearly has.

Those opposed to the stadium, who generally have organized under the “Save Our Stadium” banner, argue that the existing 32,500-seat Hughes Stadium, built in 1968 just below Horsetooth Reservoir on the west side of Fort Collins, is a fully functional facility that has undergone more than $17 million in renovations during the past nine years. It has ample parking, causes minimal traffic congestion in the heart of the city on game days, rarely fills up and ismore than adequate, the SOS group claims, as the home of a CSU football team that has gone 3-9 the past three years and hasn’t had a winning season since 2003.

Opponents also have ex-pressed concern about spending money on athletics — Minnesota built a 50,000-seat stadium in 2009 similar to what supporters envision for CSU that cost about $300 million — while the university faces continued reductions in state support that has led to salary freezes for faculty and staff and increased tuition and fees for students.

The debate hasn’t really changed in the 4½ months since Frank and Graham first spoke publicly about the possibility of building an on-campus stadium. There really is no middle ground to stand on or a compromise position that could bring the two sides closer together, organizers of both groups said Friday.

But the volume of the debate seems to be increasing, with more people joining in and taking sides every day. For the most part, the two groups even sit on opposite sides of the center aisle during the stadium advisory board’s meetings.

“Whatever decision’s made, there’s going to be a lot of angry people,” said Martin Carcasson, the director of CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation.

Each side has a website devoted to its cause, full of information to support its arguments. And each group is spreading its message in the manner that best fits its members, Milligan said during his report to the advisory committee, noting that there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus one way or the other at this point in the discussion.

Here is a link to http://soshughes.org/

Here is a link to BeBoldCSU.org

Enjoy!!!

April 21st

Defense rules the day at CSU Spring game

Either the Colorado State defense is really, really good, or ….

From the Coloradoan … It was the No. 2 defensive unit, playing with the No. 1 offense on the Gold team, that came out on top today 10-3 at Hughes Stadium.

Junior cornerback Shaq Bell, playing with the No. 2 defense, scored the only touchdown of the day when he stepped in front of the intended receiver near the sideline, intercepted a pass by M.J. McPeek and raced 45 yards to the end zone. That score, with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, gave the Gold team a 10-0 lead.

 The other two scores on a warm, sunny day before an estimated 7,000 fans, came on field goals by Jared Roberts. His 45-yarder for the Gold team with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter broke a scoreless tie, and his 41-yarder with 5:15 left in the fourth provided the only points of the day for the Green team.

Junior running back Chris Nwoke, who ran for 1,130 yards last season, gained 45 yards on 13 carries for the Gold team, and sophomore quarterback Garrett Grayson, the starter for the final three games last season, completed 10 of 22 passes for 112 yards but was sacked four times.

McPeek, a senior, was 12 of 22 for 121 yards for the Green team, including a 51-yard pass to converted cornerback Dominique Vinson with fewer than 30 seconds remaining. That put the ball at the 19-yard line, where McPeek had to intentionally spike the ball to stop the clock with 19 seconds left. Redshirt freshman linebacker Cory James then sacked McPeek for a 6-yard loss and, after another spike to stop the clock with two seconds remaining, the game fittingly ended when redshirt freshman defensive end Joe Kawulok was credited with a sack for a 5-yard loss before McPeek could get his pass off to junior receiver Bobby Borcky in the end zone.

So, the Colorado State defensive line, which averaged just over two sacks per game last season, has gotten really, really good, or …

The Colorado State offensive line, was 106th in sacks allowed last season, has not improved.

You be the judge …

April 20th

Pac 12/Big Ten inter-conference contract may have a “staggered start”

When is a contract to play a Pac-12 team not a contract to play a Pac-12 team?

When it would make for a difficult non-conference schedule.

In December, the Pac-12 and Big Ten agreed to a “collaboration”, in which the conferences would begin playing each other in non-conference games. Due to a number of previous contracts for non-conference games, the new partnership was not to start until 2017.

The Big Ten issued a statement Friday from commissioner Jim Delany, re-stating the agreement:

 ”We have just concluded very high level presidential meetings, at which time both conferences reaffirmed plans to play an annual 12 inter-conference game football schedule beginning in 2017, subject to previously contracted non-conference games. It was also reaffirmed that the collaboration was critically important to implement across a wide area of athletic and academic endeavors. We have made significant progress across the board in other scheduling areas.”

So, we’re good to go, right?

Not quite.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alverez told ESPN that some Pac-12 schools are “dragging their feet” due to the league’s nine game conference schedule. With nine Pac-12 games to play each season (the Big Ten play only eight), each Pac-12 school only has three non-conference games to work with. Commit to the Big Ten contract, and ten games are spoken for. Some Pac-12 schools, like Colorado with CSU and USC and Stanford with Notre Dame, have still another annual commitment, leaving some Pac-12 schools with only one open date per season.

Still, despite Alverez’ comment that some Pac-12 schools were “dragging their feet”, the only school which has come out and said it doesn’t want to be part of the contract in 2017 is a Big Ten school, Ohio State.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN.com that the Buckeyes aren’t scheduled to begin the Pac-12 partnership in football until the 2018 season.  

The reason?

Ohio State already has nonconference games scheduled against Oklahoma (home) and North Carolina (road) in 2017.

“I’m not taking [a Pac-12 game],” Smith said. “We can’t start in ’17, so we will start in ’18.”

Awwwww ….

“It’s more an issue of when we start,” Smith said. “Is it ’17 or ’18, or is it ’17 with some schools phasing in ’18 and ’19. It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of will it be just like we felt it was going to be at the beginning. Everybody’s committed to making it happen.”

Just some are more committed than others ….

April 19th

Cal Rebuttal to Wall Street Journal article

In the interest of fairness …

After the Wall Street Journal article concerning Cal’s inability to raise money for its new stadium was posted, a Cal blogger took the article to task.

Here is the article. Here are some tidbits:

The article immediately starts off with a misrepresentation of the ESP plan:

But three years into the fund-raising effort, a projected $270 million from the sale of seats has failed to materialize. At the end of December, the school had collected only $31 million in the first three years of the sale. Now it has become clear that the university will have to borrow the vast majority of the money.

Two things are wrong with this. One, it makes it sound like Cal had expected to “collect” the $270M in ESP sales by now. That is simply wrong. The $270M is over the life of the ESP. So those numbers are completely out of context and paint a far worse picture than what is the reality. Secondly, it is not clear at all – not at all – that the University will have to borrow a majority, let alone a “vast” majority of the money to cover the project.

Even some ardent fans say they’re confused and concerned about how the renovation will be funded. “If you read what they say, they always say, if there’s a problem and things aren’t going to expectations, we’ll make adjustments,” said Hank Gehman, a longtime season-ticket holder and retired contractor. “I’m just wondering what those adjustments will be. Where will they get millions of dollars a year to cover the shortfall?”

What the reporter doesn’t tell you, is that this “ardent fan” is actually a NIMBY who has been opposed to the renovations. A simple Google search would have revealed multiple columns and opinion pieces by Mr. Gehman not only firmly against the University, but distorting the University’s positions. It’s shameful that the reporter didn’t give Sandy better opportunity to present our position. But it’s hard to fathom that she either didn’t do the research or have the critical judgement in her reporting to better qualify this “ardent fan.”

Fun times in Berkeley …

April 18th

Cal stadium renovation a cautionary tale

For those in the Buff Nation – myself included – who are impatient for news about renovations of CU facilities, there is this from the Wall Street Journal concerning the renovation of Memorial Stadium at Cal:

Until now, the years-old effort to renovate the school’s football stadium, which sits on an earthquake fault line, never raised many alarms. Although its $321 million price tag would make it one of the most expensive renovations in college sports history, the university said the project would be funded privately, largely through long-term seat sales and naming rights.

But three years into the fund-raising effort, a projected $270 million from the sale of seats has failed to materialize. At the end of December, the school had collected only $31 million in the first three years of the sale. Now it has become clear that the university will have to borrow the vast majority of the money.

In recent interviews, university officials acknowledge that if revenue projections fall short and won’t cover the bond payments, the shortfall “would have to come from campus.”

The idea that money for the football stadium could come from campus funds, which include student fees, is an admission likely to stir outrage at a school that’s already facing possible double-digit tuition increases. “It is disconcerting that the university may be gambling with student fees and other academic funds to cover a massive financial commitment for a football stadium,” said Cal computer-science professor Brian Barsky.

The total bonded debt for the project, including the training center, will be $447 million. That’s apparently an unprecedented amount of borrowing for a college-sports project, far above the $220 million that Minnesota borrowed to build a new stadium in 2009, the $200 million that Washington has borrowed for its stadium renovation and the $148 million that Michigan took out to add luxury seats that opened in 2010.

Cal officials acknowledge that making debt payments without help from outside the athletic department will likely require success on the field. Last year, the football team went 7-6. In January, an assistant coach defected to Washington and three prized recruits changed their minds. “We recognize fully that football success is a key driver in our financial success,” Barbour said.

Even some ardent fans say they’re confused and concerned about how the renovation will be funded. “If you read what they say, they always say, if there’s a problem and things aren’t going to expectations, we’ll make adjustments,” said Hank Gehman, a longtime season-ticket holder and retired contractor. “I’m just wondering what those adjustments will be. Where will they get millions of dollars a year to cover the shortfall?”

University officials say they had no choice other than to launch a major renovation. Long known to stand above a geological fault, the stadium was declared unsafe in a seismic review, said Barbour, who added that about 70% of the project’s construction cost comes from safety upgrades.

Perhaps CU’s approach – as painful as it has been for the faithful – will prove the correct approach in the long term …

April 13th

Quarterback issues for many Pac-12 teams

Misery loves company?

The question of the starting quarterback for the CU Buffs was put on hold before spring practices even began. As soon as Nick Hirschman hurt his ankle, and was declared out for the spring, head coach Jon Embree declared that Hirschman, along with incoming freshman Shane Dillon (and later, transfer Jordan Webb) would all be given a shot at the starting job come August.

Apparently, that scenario holds true for several other Pac-12 teams as well.

At Oregon … the battle to replace Darron Thomas will come down to sophomore Byron Bennett and red-shirt freshman Marcus Mariota. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, who has closed practices to the public, hasn’t announced a winner, and hasn’t ruled out using both quarterbacks. “It’s a guideline, not a rule,” Kelly told the Salem Statesman-Journal about his policy about not using two quarterbacks. “I’ve just never been anywhere where we’ve had two guys that are equal, so that two of them deserve it. Somebody has emerged that has become that guy.”

At UCLA … the headline in the LA Timesreads, “UCLA quarterback competition has no clear favorite“. Kevin Prince, Richard Brehaut, Brett Hundley and Jerry Neuheisel (yes, Neuheisel!) continue to split snaps somewhat evenly with the first team. Prince and Brehaut, who each started games last season, and the highly touted redshirt freshman Hundley would seem to be the favorites for the starting position. For now, each of the quarterbacks is adjusting to the change in offense and overall attitude under Mora.

“It’s a lot different, but with how things have gone in the past, something needed to change, so why not change everything?” Brehaut asked. “Why not change how we do every single thing, from off the field to the locker room to here? It’s a good different. I like it. Guys are starting to really accept it and believe it and that’s what it’s going to take.”

At Stanford… the race is on to replace likely No. 1 NFL draft pick Andrew Luck. Redshirt sophomore Brett Nottingham, last year’s No. 2 man, is competing with redshirt junior Josh Nunes and redshirt freshmen Kevin Hogan and Evan Crower for the job. All four will play in the Cardinal Spring game on Saturday.

At Arizona State … According to Athlon … It’s a wide-open battle in Tempe to replace Brock Osweiler this spring. Bercovici is competing with redshirt freshman Michael Eubank and sophomore Taylor Kelly for the starting job. Eubank is a physically impressive quarterback, checking in at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds. Kelly has the most experience of the three quarterbacks, throwing for 31 yards on four attempts last year. Bercovici completed two passes for 15 yards last season and did not tally a rushing attempt. It’s a tossup who coach Todd Graham and offensive coordinator Mike Norvell will pick as the No. 1 quarterback, but most believe it will come down to Bercovici or Eubank. No matter who starts under center, Arizona State will have a hard time equaling Osweiler’s production from last year.

April 12th

CU athletic director Mike Bohn looking to increase season ticket sales

Colorado was one of only four schools in the Pac-12 to see an increase in attendance in 2011. The Buffs, despite a 3-10 record, were buoyed by the school’s initial season in the Pac-12. Colorado’s average attendance was 50,355, up from 46,864 in 2010.

Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn set out last spring to raise the season ticket list above 25,000. It seemed ambitious at the time, being over 6,000 more season tickets more than had been sold in 2010. The athletic department succeeded, though, signing up 25, 172, the highest total since 2003.

And Bohn wants that number to go even higher.

“Renewals are robust at this time and the deadline (Friday) is sneaking up,” Bohn told the Camera. “We’ll continue to follow up with those we haven’t heard from, and we anticipate continued momentum.”

In an effort to help sustain that momentum, Bohn said the department decided to lower the cost of tickets per game in four of the five seating areas in the stadium bowl with the lowest priced seats in 2011 remaining the same price this season.

Seats in tier levels one and two dropped from $67 per game in 2011 to $60 this season. Seats in tier level three dropped from $45 per game to $42 and seats in tier level four dropped from $33 per game in 2011 to $32 this year.

While the cost per game has dropped this year, the overall cost of season tickets is rising because there is a full slate of home games.

CU had only five true home games in 2011 because of a scheduling quirk caused by its move to the Pac-12 Conference. The Buffs will play six games in Folsom Field this fall, including five Pac-12 games. The annual meeting with Colorado State in Denver is also part of the season-ticket package as usual, meaning fans are paying for seven games this year instead of six last year.

“We recognize the terrific momentum we have and the reception to our pricing strategies from last season and we wanted to do all we could to ensure that we maintain that high intensity of support from our season ticket holders,” Bohn said. “We are hoping to exceed the season-ticket number from last season this season and we didn’t want price to be a significant barrier in fans purchasing season tickets.”

April 8th

Pac-12 Commissioner talks playoffs

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is making the rounds in the conference, and is talking playoffs with the players.

According to Sports Illustrated … Scott met with recent Stanford players Andrew Luck, Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro on Thursday to get their feedback on various proposals currently being discussed to overhaul college football’s postseason. Last week Scott met with current USC players Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, T.J. McDonald and Devon Kennard, and he will do the same with a group of Utah players prior to their April 21 spring game.

April 7th

Bad news confirmed for USC tailback

USC sophomore tailback Tre Madden, injured in practice Thursday (see April 6th story, below), had the worst confirmed on Friday.

From Kevin Gemmell and Erik McKinney of ESPN.com … Linebacker-turned-running back Tre Madden isn’t that load-bearing player. But he certainly was expected to take some of the pressure off of Curtis McNeal. On Friday, it was confirmed that Madden will miss the entire 2012 season with a torn ligament in his left knee — a non-contact injury that occurred when he planted off his left leg.

Writes Erik McKinney of WeAreSC.com: Through only a handful of practices after making the transition from outside linebacker, Madden had impressed with his combination of balance and forward lean and looked like he would make a case to become the big back the Trojans could rely on this season. With Madden out of the lineup, the Trojans are again down to three scholarship tailbacks, as redshirt senior Curtis McNeal will be relied on heavily to carry the load this year.

Madden, a 6-0, 220-pound sophomore from Aliso Vieja, Calif., was the talk of USC’s spring ball for both his versatility to make the position change and his athleticism. As a true freshman, he appeared in all 12 games last season at linebacker and special teams, notching 15 tackles and one for a loss. He started one game at Colorado and had a career high three tackles against Washington.

This kind of scenario was always the elephant in the room for the Trojans — whether they could last an entire season without having to dip too far into the depth chart. Madden’s injury leaves the Trojans right back where they were before spring in terms of running backs. Only now, they are also down a linebacker.

April 6th

USC loses tailback to knee injury

One issue which will occupy fans of the Pac-12 over the next few seasons:  Will the NCAA-imposed scholarship sanctions (15 per year for three years; roster reduced from 85 to 70) will have any major repercussions on the field.

After all, when your 2nd- and 3rd-string players are all 4- and 5-star performers, is there really any significant dropoff?

Not really, unless the Trojans suffer injuries in key positions.

On Thursday, according to an LA Times report, sophomore tailback Tre Madden, who has impressed in his switch from linebacker, fell to the ground without being hit late in the workout. He was assisted off the field because of an apparent left knee injury and was taken to the locker room after practice.

Asked if he was concerned that Madden might have suffered a severe injury, a somber Kiffin said, “There’s that concern any time with knees, where guys can’t really walk afterward. We’ll find out.”

The 6-foot, 226-pound Madden has provided the Trojans with much-needed depth and a big-back presence. He also gives USC another dimension because he is capable of running and passing from the wildcat formation.

Returning starter Curtis McNeal is enjoying a solid spring and D.J. Morgan also has performed well. But redshirt freshman Javorious Allen remains sidelined because of a hamstring strain, so the Trojans could go into Saturday’s scrimmage with only two sound tailbacks.

Utah suspends starting defensive back

According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune … Utah coach Kyle Whittingham addressed the situation with defensive back Reggie Topps following Tuesday’s practice, saying the senior has been indefinitely suspended from the team for a violation of team rules.

Topps remains on the team roster, although he can’t participate in any official team activities including meetings, practices and weight lifting sessions. Topps played in every game last year and finished with 33 tackles, 16 of which were solo.

“You never want to lose a good player but we expect our guys to handle themselves a certain way and we have to do what is best for the entire football team,” Whittingham said.

Whittingham left open the possibility that Topps could return to the team. “We’ll have to see how he handles himself,” he said.

April 5th

BCS looking at playoff options

In a memo obtained by USA Today, BCS officials are concentrating on four playoff options, including an optionwhich preserves the Pac-12/Big Ten rivalry in the Rose Bowl.

The plans range from a long-discussed “plus one” format — after the bowls play out, selecting two teams to meet for the national championship — to a heretofore undisclosed four-team playoff proposal that could expand the semifinals to preserve a Big Ten/Pac-12 matchup in the Rose Bowl.

In the latter plan, the four highest-ranked teams at the end of the regular season would meet in semifinals unless the Big Ten or Pac-12 champ, or both, were among the top four. Those leagues’ teams still would meet in the Rose, and the next highest-ranked team or teams would slide into the semis. The national championship finalists would be selected after those three games.

Yes, you read that correctly … college football could have “semi-finals” which actually involve three games …

Let that sink in a minute, while we look at the options.

The most radical departure proposed in the memo is a four-team playoff, with semifinals and a championship game, according to the report. The memo does not use the word “playoff” to describe the proposal, instead calling it a “four-team event.”

A wide range of options for a playoff are presented in the memo, including:

• Playing all three games at bowls;
• Playing the semifinal games at bowls and selecting a bowl game site for the title game;
• Playing all three games at neutral sites and not branding the games as bowls;
• Playing semifinal games at campus sites and selecting a bowl game site for the title game.

The remaining proposals outlined in the memo obtained by USA Today include the “plus-one” formula that would select two teams after the bowl games for a championship game, and a slightly revamped BCS system that would change or eliminate the automatic qualifying status for conferences, except for contracts between conferences and bowl games.

Furthermore, according to the memo, if a plus-one or playoff system were put in place, the BCS would consider having a committee select matchups for as many as 16 bowl games, “with the aim of providing the most evenly matched and attractive games that make geographic sense for the participants.”

April 4th

Arizona State unveils new design for home stadium

Pac-12 teams continue to spend money on facility improvements …

Arizona State Vice President for University Athletics and Athletics Director Steve Patterson and ASU head football coach Todd Graham announced the early stages of a renovation project set to revitalize Sun Devil Stadium over the next couple of years. 

Patterson and Graham met with media, fans and staff on Wednesday to share some of the basics of the revitalized stadium in addition to some of the initial renderings of the updated and upgraded stadium.

The renderings are not finalized, but the tentative plan would create a shade canopy over the stadium that will allow the passage of natural light and the passage of air into the stadium while also allowing the Sun Devils to play day games earlier in the year to accommodate Pac-12 Network obligations. 

The addition of the shade canopy, in addition to other alterations, will decrease seating to an area between 55,000 and 65,000 seats (current capacity: 71,706).   As such, larger seats will be provided with more leg room and the potential of more seats with a seat back. 

The cost of the stadium has not been determined.  There are also two different options available for the build: one that would allow the team and fans to stay in Sun Devil Stadium during construction or another that would move ASU out of the stadium for a season or two that would allow time to complete the project faster.   The stadium can be built in up to five stages, but a timetable has not been establish as yet.

Pac-12 teams have spent over a billion dollars in the last 10 years in building or renovating football stadiums. “We’ve got to invest to keep us competitive,” Patterson said. “We’re still in the process of figuring out details and should have our plan by the middle of this year, then we can come up with a (construction) timeline.”

April 2nd

Colorado’s schedule considered middle of the road

Phil Steele has put together a list of  the most difficult schedules in college football for 2012, at least according to last season’s records.

Colorado, for a change, is not atop the list, coming in at No. 62 out of 120.

Of course, just judging a schedule by last season’s records is not the best judge of how tough a team’s opposition will be (e.g., Oregon plays Arkansas State, which was 10-3 last season. The Ducks also play USC, which was 10-2. Figure the Oregon coaches and players look at those games equally?).

Still, it’s interesting to see how the Buffs’ schedule compares to the rest of the league. A breakdown:

Arizona – No. 11 (including a date with Oklahoma State, plus Oregon and Stanford from the Pac-12 North)

Washington – No. 16 (including a non-conference game against LSU)

Cal – No. 31 (the Bears follow the Buffs in taking on Ohio State in Columbus)

UCLA – No. 51 (the Bruins get Nebraska in the Rose Bowl in September)

And, in case you are wondering …

CSU – No. 74 (Northern Colorado, San Jose State and Utah State, plus 2-10 UNLV and 1-11 New Mexico).

Hang in there, the 2012 season is only five months away!!

USC – No. 54 (Syracuse on the road, plus the annual game against Notre Dame)

Washington State – No. 59 (BYU the toughest non-conference game; miss USC)

Colorado – No. 62 (CSU was 3-9 last season, Sacramento State a mediocre 1-AA team)

Oregon – No. 67 (home game in October against Washington the only game to worry the Ducks until November)

Arizona State – No. 73 (non-conference games against Missouri and Illinois; avoid Washington and Stanford)

Stanford – No. 96 (Notre Dame, okay. But San Jose State and Duke?)

Utah – No. 113 (Utes never leave the state in non-conference play – BYU, Utah State, home against Northern Colorado)

April 1st

Oregon to keep Arkansas State guessing

Oregon loses a significant number of stars from last year’s Pac-12 champions. LaMichael James is gone. Ditto for Darron Thomas, David Paulson, Lavasier Tuinei, Mark Asper, Josh Kaddu and many others.

But the nation, and the Ducks’ opponents, will have to wait until August to know who will trot out onto the field in those florescent yellow and green uniforms. Not only are spring practices being closed for the first time, but no depth charts are going to be released.

Spring Grades – Defense

Someday, perhaps as early as the Class of 2014, there will be balance in the CU recruiting cycle … but that day is not yet here.

Colorado recruited nine defensive linemen and nine defensive backs in the Class of 2012. All 18 are not due until this summer.

Which means that spring practices, 2012, were played with only a handful of defensive players … and it showed.

Defensive Line

Spring Game statistics … Sophomore defensive end Juda Parker, four tackles; senior defensive tackle Eric Richter, one tackle; sophomore defensive end Kirk Poston, one tackle; freshman defensive end Thor Eaton, one tackle.

The numbers are disheartening.

Colorado went through spring practices with all of four healthy defensive tackles.

Colorado went through spring practices with all of six defensive ends, four of them being walk-ons.

Defensive end coach Kanavis McGhee’s spring roster has consisted of six players – junior Chidera Uzo-Diribe, sophomore Juda Parker and four walk-ons. (Sophomore Cordary Allen, a defensive end who switched from offense, has been out with a shoulder injury.) The four walk-ons, McGhee told cubuffs.com, “give what they can and you can most definitely see the progress from day one to where we are now, which lets me know they’ve got the temperament we’re looking for. But it ain’t easy.”

The only two proven returning players along the entire defensive front are senior Will Pericak and Uzo-Diribe. Defensive tackle coach Mike Tuiasosopo calls Pericak “a guy we can win with,” while defensive coordinator Greg Brown said earlier this spring that Uzo-Diribe consistently had proven to be the one player who was the most difficult to block.

Other than Pericak and Uzo-Diribe, McGhee and Tuiasosopo have had to make do with what was available.

Former linebacker Juda Parker, in making the move to defensive end, had a productive spring. McGhee told cubuffs.com: ”It’s amazing how six months makes a difference . . . you can kind of see that he was someone who understands what his role is; believe it or not, those two (Uzo-Diribe, Parker) are the veterans (at end). It’s hard to say that about somebody in the spring of his freshman year, but it’s a reality. The other guys who will be playing at that position won’t have his experience. What I really like about him is that he’s embraced that role and understands that it’s a ‘right now’ kind of approach to the spring. He’s shown it.”

Although his 2011 experience was somewhat limited (109 plays in nine games), Parker says even that has given him “an insight into the speed of the game” and will help him help the incoming freshmen. “That’s what the coaches want – helping those guys out and getting them up to speed. We (he and Uzo-Diribe) will be young veterans.”

The veterans along Tuiasosopo’s interior will be Pericak and, well . . . Pericak. Tuiasosopo was hoping for a spring breakthrough from some returning players, but that didn’t happen. Former offensive lineman Eric Richter will enter August camp battling to find playing time as his senior season approaches. Sophomore Kirk Poston’s size (6-1, 255) makes him “physically not where we need him to be,” Tuiasosopo said. And of injured junior Nate Bonsu, he added, “He’s a guy who has to step up. He’s on scholarship and he’s gonna need to step up.”

Not much to be excited about, is there?

Still, the incoming infusion of talent, Tuiasosopo said, “gives us so much hope. They were kids we were on early and we got just about everyone we were after . . . (but) it takes a special freshman to play and even more of a special freshman, in my mind, to play in the interior of the D-line.

“Think about it: when you were a freshman in high school going against a senior, you know what I’m saying? A kid has to have the temperament, the toughness, the skills . . . but I think it’s all a part of the reason we got in on those kids. We could say if you want a job, come and get your job. There’s going to be jobs here.”

Defensive line spring Grade: D+/C- … An old football axiom is that you lose one game for every freshman you start. Another golden rule of college football is that you want your incoming freshmen linemen to red-shirt, so that they have an extra year to bulk up, adjust to the speed of the college game, and learn how to deal with 300-pound offensive linemen who are just as quick as they are. 

The defensive line entered the spring as the weakest link in the Colorado lineup, and spring practices did not do anything to assuage those fears.

Linebackers

Spring game statistics … Sophomore Brady Daigh, two tackles, including a third down stop; sophomore Woodson Greer, two tackles, including a third down stop; sophomore Jermane Clark, two tackles; red-shirt freshman Clay Jones, two tackles; senior Jon Major, one tackle, which was a third down stop; junior Derrick Webb, one tackle; sophomore K.T. Tu’umalo, one tackle.

Whereas the Colorado defensive line remains in flux, the CU linebacker corps remains the one unit on the defense with some continuity.

Senior outside linebacker Jon Major, who led the team in tackles in 2011, returns, as will fellow starter Derrick Webb. Doug Rippy, who was leading the team in tackles before going down to a knee injury midway through the season, did not participate in spring drills, but will be a “full go” come August, and will likely be the third starter.

With Major and Rippy established talents, it has been up to Derrick Webb to make a name for himself this spring … and apparently he has.

Webb, said Embree, is “starting to play like a man. He had a couple of huge hits (during one scrimmage this spring) - one on the goal line to keep the offense from scoring on fourth down. He’s playing fast; he’s always been able to run, but he hasn’t always been able to play fast. His mind hasn’t been freed up. He’s always thinking . . . he seems to be using his speed a lot better than he has in the past because I don’t think he’s thinking as much. I’ve seen a lot of good stuff out of him.”

Webb’s speed and physical play – he’s 6-0, 220 pounds – has allowed him to operate almost across the board at linebacker, although he’s currently settled at the WILL (or weak side) linebacker. With an increase in experience, Webb said he’s trying to play more under control: “That’s one thing I’ve been trying to work on – when to turn it on, when to burst, having my eyes in the right place and being able to go make a play when I have to. I’ve tried to bring that to my game.”

He’s also figuring it’s time to begin working his way into a leadership role on the defense. “I’ve been kind of trying to wait to get older before I start telling people what to do,” he said. “But I’m a junior now; I don’t have a lot of time left. I got two years to play and I want to make the best of these two years. And I’ve got something to say about it.”

In addition to the three established starters, the Buffs have been developing some depth at linebacker. Sophomore Brady Daigh has been playing with the first team in Rippy’s absence, while sophomores Woodson Greer III and Kyle Washington have been earning additional playing time. Greer, in fact, was one of the few defensive players to stand out in the Spring Game. 

“You could hear him playing, which is always a good sign for a defensive player,” Embree said of the 6-3, 225-pound Greer. “He was physical and hitting.”

Asked if being heard was a good thing, Greer said, “When I make good plays, I tend to talk a lot just to get everybody fired up, get the defense on a roll . . . I hope he heard my hits, too. I like to hit hard. So yeah, I think that’s a good thing.”

Linebackers spring Grade: B+/A- … The unit was without Doug Rippy, who may become a force this fall if fully healed. The other two returning starters, Jon Major and Derrick Webb, did nothing to disappoint this spring. Spring practices are often a time for backups to show that they are ready to contribute, and the Buffs, with Brady Daigh and Woodson Greer, appear to have some quality depth in the roster.

Defensive backs

Spring game statistics … Red-shirt freshman Brandon Brisco, four tackles; sophomore Harrison Hunter, four tackles; sophomore Josh Moten, three tackles; sophomore Shaw Gifford, two tackles; junior Terrel Smith, two tackles; junior Paul Vigo, one tackle; red-shirt freshman Sherrard Harrington, one tackle.

Considering that three of the four projected starters for the fall did not participate in the Spring game, it should not come as a surprise that the top two leading tacklers for the secondary were walk-ons. Out were senior free safety Ray Polk (wrist), junior strong safety Parker Orms (hamstring), and sophomore cornerback Greg Henderson (attending a funeral in California).

Polk at safety (with ten starts in 2011) and Henderson at cornerback (with 11) are known quantities, leaving the strong safety and right cornerback positions up for grabs this spring. Despite suffering a hamstring injury in the first week of the spring (which kept him out for the remaining practices), Orms is listed in the post-spring depth chart as the starter at strong safety. With only freshman Will Harlos on the depth chart behind Orms, the junior will have to find a way to keep from being injured this fall for the Buffs to be successful (Note: The NCAA has granted Will Harlos a medical redshirt year, so, even though he did play last season, Harlos will still play as a freshman in 2012).

The listing of sophomore Josh Moten as the No. 1 right cornerback was something of a surprise. Sherrard Harrington, who suffered an injury last summer and sat out his true freshman year, was projected by many to be the most likely new starter at the corner (at least until some talented true freshmen come to campus this fall).

One player who may not be listed as a starter this fall, but who should have plenty of playing time, is Terrel Smith. The junior had the only interception of a CU quarterback all spring, that coming in an early scrimmage. Smith, according to head coach Jon Embree, is playing more under control than he did last fall. “You mean not running and just hitting anything?”, Embree joked when asked about Smith. “Yeah, he’s doing a lot better hitting the guy with the ball. You can tell he’s a little more comfortable. But a lot of the guys are . . . as coaches it’s like a foreign language to the kids. It’s good to have them understand what we’re saying. They’re playing faster; there’s just a whole different comfort level.”

Smith agrees that he is now managing his fervor and not engaging in a bash-fest on every snap. “(Coach Embree) knows I love to hit, and other people know I love to hit and make plays,” Smith said, laughing. “But I’m not hitting anybody who’s moving anymore.” That’s because his spring comfort level with the defense in general and his assignments “is like a tremendous change for me,” he said. “I know my calls and I’m not thinking so much out there. Last year I was. Now I’m just out there playing instead of thinking so much.”

It will be necessary for Smith to be prepared to have an impact this fall. While the Buffs are re-loading with defensive backs – nine signees from the Class of 2012 – the secondary seems to be more prepared at cornerback than at safety. Greg Henderson demonstrated that he could play at a BCS conference level as a true freshman, and the Buffs have two four-star cornerbacks (Yuri Wright and Kenneth Crawley) amongst the new group of signees. At safety, though, the Buffs remain somewhat thin, with Polk and injury-prone Orms currently backed only by Smith, Harlos, and junior Paul Vigo.

Still, 2012 promises to be easier on the CU coaching staff than 2011, when wide receivers (Jason Espinoza) and running backs (Brian Lockridge) were forced into playing in the defensive backfield against some of the most potent quarterbacks in the nation.

Defensive backs spring Grade: B/B+ … While the defensive secondary had only one interception all spring, the unit did develop both depth and cohesiveness. It is not difficult to imagine improvement in 2012 from the unit which ranked 97th in the nation in pass defense … and that’s even before the influx of nine defensive backs this summer.

Special Teams

Spring Game statistics … Junior Justin Castor, four-of-six in field goal attempts, connecting from 37, 42, 34 and 50 yards, while missing from 48 and 52; sophomore punter Darragh O’Neill, two punts, 43.5 yard average; junior Zach Grossnickle, two punts, 46.0 yard average.

One thing about a Spring game which is only a Spring scrimmage – there are not a lot of special team statistics. There were no kickoffs, so no kickoff returns. The four punts were uncontested, and there were no returns of those punts.

So, what do we know about the CU special teams?

Not a great deal.

Sophomore kicker Will Oliver, who set a school freshman record for scoring in 2011 with 62 points, is out for the spring with a shoulder injury. Oliver connected on 11-of-16 field goal attempts last season, including five-of-six from over 40 yards, and is expected to retain his position as the starting field goal kicker. Justin Castor, who is listed second on the depth chart, may focus on kickoffs in the new era where teams will kickoff at the 35-yard line once again, with touchbacks moving out to the 25.

Also likely to retain his job is punter Darragh O’Neill. The sophomore averaged 42.59 yards per punt in 2011, and is listed ahead of Grossnickle and sophomore D.J. Wilhelm in the post-Spring depth chart.

As for kick and punt returners, the Buff Nation will have to wait until August to find out who will man those positions come September. When asked about who were likely candidates, head coach Jon Embree replied that his returners for 2012 “may still be in high school”.

Clever, but not reassuring.

While it is true that Colorado is bringing in some quick recruits as part of the large Class of 2012. It is also true that last spring, in Jon Embree’s first season, he promised to find kick and punt returners out of the Class of 2011.

And what happened?

The leading kick returner for Colorado in 2011? The indispensible Rodney Stewart.

The leading punt returner for Colorado in 2011? The indispensible Rodney Stewart.

Even though CU could ill-afford to risk an injury to its starting tailback, no one could be found who could do a better job than Stewart.

Here’s hoping that the search for starting kick and punt returners is more fruitful this fall.

Special teams spring Grade: D-/D … It was a very quiet spring for the special teams. The starting kicker was out, and no effort was made to establish a replacement for the punt and kick returner positions. New rules changes governing how kickoffs are to be played should have, in and of itself, commanded special attention be played to kickoffs and kick returns. Now it will be left to fall practices for special teams to become accustomed to the new rules. With a team already loaded with questions – and few answers – leaving special team unit formation until fall does not seem to be a wise move.

Spring Grades – Offense

While grading the Colorado football team is more difficult this year due to the closing of spring practices from the public, there is enough cumulative information available to start taking a look at how the 2012 Buffs are shaping up … at least until 27 true freshmen hit campus this summer.

Quarterbacks

Spring Game statistics – Sophomore Connor Wood, 7-of-10 passing for 137 yards and two touchdowns; red-shirt freshman John Schrock, 3-of-8 passing for 26 yards; red-shirt freshman Stevie Joe Dorman, two-for-two passing for 34 yards. Did not participate: sophomore Nick Hirschman (injured); incoming true freshman Shane Dillon; likely junior transfer Jordan Webb).

Prior to the Spring game, Colorado head coach Jon Embree said transfer Connor Wood had “finished (the spring) strong,” but added that Wood “needs to relax . . . sometimes he presses, whether it’s over-gripping the ball or trying to throw it real hard. He just needs to relax. But he had a good spring.”

Of Wood’s performance at the Spring game, Embree “I thought No. 5 was sharp. He missed a couple of deep balls . . . but I thought he played well.”

Embree said Wood, a sophomore, was good with his decision-making: “That’s always the No. 1 thing with quarterbacks . . . and I thought he was better with his accuracy in the shorter passes.”

CU quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer gave this assessment of Wood to cubuffs.com. Scherer said that Wood’s “failure” to make a decisive move into the starting position, “is more an indication that we want to have an opportunity to evaluate Nick and Shane (Dillon) than it is an indictment (of Wood). I did not go into this spring feeling like we had to, or necessarily would, come out of the spring with a starter. Because of the extenuating circumstances of a young freshman that we have a lot of confidence in and a guy that’s been in the offense that’s demonstrated some good things in the past . . .

“Now, if Connor would have just been lights out, that scenario might have changed. But my expectation level with Connor was more realistic than that. He didn’t have any ‘reps’ in the offense (last fall) so there was still going to be a learning curve. It was going to be hard for a guy to go from not knowing the offense to being an accomplished starter in 15 practices. This has been an opportunity for Connor to grow and get a lot of ‘reps’ and make up some ground – not necessarily on the field but on himself in terms of learning the offense. So when preseason does come it’ll be a little more of a level playing field for him.”

While Wood was destined to receive a great deal of reps with the No. 1 offensive unit this spring, the absence of Nick Hirschman may have allowed for a fourth candidate to throw his hat into the ring, red-shirt freshman John Schrock. Scherer called Schrock “real solid . . . he gives you a lot of confidence that he’s going to do the right thing. He makes good decisions. Probably right now of all the quarterbacks, he knows the offense better than anybody.

“That’s a credit to him, his work ethic and his intelligence. There’s a comfort level with John. At the very least, there’s always going to be a role for him. Now how that role plays out depends on how the other guys come in and how he fares in competition.”

However long the quarterback competition drags on this August, one thing is clear, “Whoever our quarterback is, he’s going to be a first-year starter,” said Scherer. ”Whoever that guy is will be better in game eight than he is game one. But we need to make sure by game one he’s good enough in making good decisions and in his leadership and understanding of the offense that we can take advantage of the plays that come available to us.”

Quarterbacks spring grade: Incomplete. With so much still to be determined, it is hard to assess the state of the race for the starting job. Connor Wood would have to be the leading candidate, but by default. Had Hirschman not been injured the week before the start of spring practices, Wood’s position atop the depth chart this April would have meant a great deal more.

Running backs

Spring Game statistics – Junior Josh Ford, eight carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns; sophomore Tony Jones, four carries for 23 yards; sophomore D.D. Goodson, five carries for 19 yards; sophomore Justin Gorman, two carries for 13 yards and one touchdown.

In 2011, Rodney Stewart became the first CU Buff to lead the team in rushing for four straight seasons. The task of replacing Stewart will likely fall to Tony Jones, who subbed for Stewart late last season when Stewart was injured. Jones was second on the team in rushing last fall, with 297 yards on 78 carries.

“Tony actually has been pretty consistent,” offensive coordinator and running backs coach Eric Bieniemy told cubuffs.com during spring practices. “He’s been running the ball exceptionally well. Obviously, it goes in conjunction with everybody. The O-line is coming off the ball, the tight ends are doing a great job. The thing I want to keep pointing out is that those big plays don’t just happen by chance.”

Jones, who played in all 13 games last season mostly as Rodney Stewart’s backup, said his spring goals were to “pay attention to details like coach Bieniemy always says . . . I’ve tried to sharpen up on everything, stay focused, and take my game to another level since I’m trying to be a starter.”

For those who witnessed junior Josh Ford tear up the second-team defense for 141 yards on only eight carries, there are two items worthy of note. First, this is not Ford’s first highlight reel Spring game. Last April, Ford went for 164 yards on 17 carries in the Spring game. Then, when the 2011 season rolled around, Ford was rarely utilized. Other than the Arizona State game, in which Ford posted ten carries for 73 yards, Ford accumulated only 12 carries and 55 yards in four other games in which he participated. Second, if there were any thoughts that Ford had put together a great spring behind closed doors, Ford dropped behind D.D. Goodson to third on the post-spring depth chart, released the day before the Spring game.

While Jones, Ford and Goodson will be the likely candidates to try and fend off the challenges of incoming freshmen Donta Abron, Terrence Crowder and Davien Payne, there is something to be said for the fullback position at Colorado this spring.

Last season, the new Colorado coaching staff ran an offense which required fullbacks, but had to do so inheriting a roster devoid of such players. Former linebackers Tyler Ahles and Evan Harrington were moved into the position, but both were seniors, forcing the Buffs to start over again this spring.

Two incoming freshmen have been recruited to play fullback at Colorado, with Clay Norgard enrolling early in order to participate in spring drills. While Norgard will have to battle with junior walk-on Alex Wood and incoming freshman Christian Powell for the starting job come August, it was a step up for the Buffs to be able to run their offense with a recruited fullback leading the running backs through the hole.

Running back / Fullback spring Grade: B-/B … With the loss of the Buffs’ one true offensive star, wide receiver Paul Richardson, to a season-ending knee injury, and with a new starter this fall at quarterback, the CU offense must rely on the running game in 2012 to have any chance of success. Last season, Colorado ranked 106th in the nation in rushing offense, and that was with four-year starter at running back in Rodney Stewart, and a three-year starter at quarterback in Tyler Hansen. How the Buffs will be able to improve on the 2011 rushing numbers with the current roster is certainly open to question.

Wide Receivers

Spring Game statistics – Junior Jarrod Darden, two catches for 53 yards and a 42-yard touchdown; red-shirt freshman Nelson Spruce, two catches for 35 yards; senior Dustin Ebner, two catches for 22 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown; sophomore Tyler McCulloch, one catch for 34 yards; sophomore Keenan Canty, one catch for nine yards.

Monday, April 9th, was supposed to be a big day for wide receiver Nelson Spruce.

The red-shirt freshman, held out of play in 2011 even after fellow freshman Tyler McCulloch had been called upon to tear off his red-shirt, had been named the Buffs’ No. 2 wide receiver. With the graduations of Toney Clemons and Logan Gray, the Buffs had only one returning starter at wide receiver, Paul Richardson, and had spent the spring looking for a new No. 2. With only one week of spring practices left to be played, Spruce had been named No. 2.

“He’s had a solid spring,” wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy told cubuffs.com. “He’s light years ahead of where he was when last season ended. Things have slowed down for him, he’s able to execute better and he’s got a better understanding of what we’re trying to get done . . . he’s not thinking as much, he’s able to play a little faster.”

Then, one short practice later, Spruce was no longer the No. 2 wide receiver.

He was No. 1.

The CU wide receiver corps took a lethal hit that Monday, when All-Pac-12 candidate Paul Richardson was lost for the season with a knee injury. Now, instead of being the reliable “possession” receiver, Spruce had been elevated to the main man.

Spruce, though, does not have the speed to stretch defenses. Kennedy characterizes Spruce as “deceptively fast,” which elicited a grin and a chuckle from Spruce. “I guess that’s accurate; I’ve been hearing it since high school,” he said. “Maybe it’s my stride or something . . . it doesn’t look like I’m running that fast. But I feel like I’m fast. I’ve been working on showing my speed all over the field, and my bursts off the line. I think it’s improved since I’ve been here.”

The No. 2 spot now falls to sophomore-to-be Tyler McCulloch, who played in all 13 games (one start) last season and made 10 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy termed McCulloch “still a work in progress” and said he must overcome day-to-day inconsistency: “He’ll have a good day, an off day . . . he needs through the summer to keep progressing and put things all together. We need him to step up and start making (plays).”

More specifically, Kennedy said, McCulloch’s lanky physique often seems a detriment to his release from the line of scrimmage against press coverage. “He’s got to continue his development there,” Kennedy said. “And he needs to stop trying to ‘body’ catch; he’s got good hands. He just needs to continue to develop confidence in his hands. He can use his body and reach for things; catch them clean rather than trying to ‘body’ things.”

The other two receivers who moved up the depth chart with the injury to Richardson are sophomore Keenan Canty and senior Dustin Ebner, “I’m not disappointed with either of them,” said Kennedy. “They’re further along that last year, Keenan especially. Dustin has showed some things; he didn’t get many opportunities last year. But he’s showing he can make some plays. Keenan is doing so many things better than last fall, but he’s a guy I’m talking about when I mention consistency . . . he’s got to show that.”

The final wideout who is likely to have his name called a number of times this fall is Jarrod Darden. The junior did have a 42-yard touchdown reception in the Spring Game, but Darden has not enjoyed many such days. “It felt really good, actually,” Darden told the Daily Camera. “Hopefully I can get that feeling more often. I don’t deny it felt really good.

“Hopefully it’s the start to something I can build on in the fall and prove to these coaches and the fan base that I can do the things I’m capable of.”

Darden hasn’t caught a pass in a game since 2007, when he was a junior at Central High School in Keller, Texas. He missed his senior year with an ankle injury, redshirted at CU in 2009 and has never advanced enough in the depth chart to get an opportunity since.

In fact, he really hadn’t done a whole lot this spring, either. “It was good to see him start to make some plays,” head coach Jon Embree said. “This is the first time I’ve seen him make some plays. I reached for my Junior Mints at that point, like I’m at the movies. Glad to see some entertainment there from him.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement …

Wide receiver spring Grade: D+/C- … Heading into spring practices, the CU wide receiver corps was Paul Richardson and a bunch of wannabes. And now …

Tight ends

Spring game statistics – Sophomore Kyle Slavin, one catch for 30 yards; senior Nick Kasa, no catches; junior Scott Fernandez, no catches.

The trio already on the roster – Kasa, Fernandez and Slavin – is “chasing their goals,” Colorado tight ends coach J.D. Brookhart told cubuffs.com. “It’s a continual process. A faster track needs to happen for Nick. Kyle has made the most of his opportunities. He’s showing a more maturity; he just needs to continue to upgrade that, but he’s definitely improved. Scott has made good improvement athletically . . . he’s an extremely intelligent kid who gets what we’re doing. He’s gotten less reps and still has improved, he really has.”

Kasa is the most well known of the threesome, mainly because he was a nationally recruited local high school player (Legacy) who spurned Florida for Colorado, but then has bounced from defense to offense trying to find what position fits. If that fit is tight end, his improvement needs to hit overdrive: “He needs to get four years of practice in the next three months – that’s what he needs to do,” Brookhart said of the 6-6, 265-pound Kasa.

“Athletically he’s capable of doing everything,” Brookhart continued. “Right now, it’s just a matter of comfort in the pass game, which is not second nature at all. It’s a long ways away for him. That’s the biggest challenge for him. In the run game, I’m confident we can get him to 80 percent of where he needs to be by September.”

Colorado signed not one, not two, but three tight ends in its 2012 recruiting class: Vincent Hobbs (6-3, 240, Dallas), Sean Irwin (6-4, 230, Cypress, Texas) and Austin Ray (6-6, 235, Columbia, Mo.). In August camp, one, two or all of that threesome will get significant chances to earn playing time, and Brookhart already is predicting, “It’s going to be a battle.”

That battle can’t start soon enough.

Tight end spring Grade: C/C+ … Nick Kasa had one catch in the season finale against Utah, shortly after moving over to the tight end position. That one catch, though, sparked the imagination of many Buff fans. Kasa has now had a full spring of practices to hone his new craft. Coming through the spring without injury, and with high praise from Kasa’s position coach, is enough to rate a decent grade from the group.

Offensive line

Spring Game statistics – Unlike a regular season game, in which published grades are given out to the offensive linemen, the Spring game only allows for speculation as to how the unit fared. The offense did generate 395 yards of total offense, at an excellent 9.4 yards per play clip. The rushing game gained 198 yards; the passing game 197, so balance was not a problem. The unit surrendered only one sack, and had only one penalty (a hold) called on the day. However, it must be noted that, either due to injury or coaches’ decisions to hold out players to avoid injury, the defense which played in the Spring game had only about half of the defensive starters expected to suit up against Colorado State.

Colorado returns three starters along the offensive line this fall, with junior center Gus Handler, left tackle David Bakhtiari, and right tackle Ryan Dannewitz all back.

The issue for spring ball, then, was replacing Ryan Miller and Ethan Adkins, the two starting guards from last fall. Working with offensive line coach Steve Marshall’s first unit for much of the spring at guard were sophomores Alex Lewis (left) and Daniel Munyer (right). Lewis moved inside from left tackle (he also played some tight end last season as a true freshman), while Munyer is seeing some spot duty at center (he opened the 2011 season there).

Said Marshall midway through spring practices: “If we played in a week, (Lewis and Munyer) would be our starting guards.”

When the post-spring depth chart was released on April 14th, Lewis was indeed listed as the No. 1 left guard, ahead of injured sophomore Kaiwi Crabb. At right guard, however, Munyer was listed as co-first teamer along with Dannewitz, with Dannewitz also listed as co-first teamer at right tackle, along with junior Jack Harris.

This listing could be read in one of two ways. Either Munyer is not doing well enough at right guard that Marshall believes that he may have to slide Dannewitz over to guard, or that Jack Harris is doing well enough at right tackle to allow Dannewitz, at 6’6″, 310-pounds, to move his guard-like frame inside.

In either event, it appears that the Colorado offensive line is finally finding some balance. Dannewitz is the only senior on the team. Behind him, the Buffs have three juniors, four sophomores, three red-shirt freshmen, and three true freshmen. Unlike the CU defensive line, which remains in disarray, the Buffs’ offensive line appears to be the most solid unit on the team.

Offensive line spring Grade – B/B+ … The remainder of the offense is in flux. Colorado may not have a starting quarterback until a week before the opener, and must replace a four-year starter at running back. The wide receiver unit lost its one “A-list” performer, and the tight ends remain in search of a starter who was not moved from another position.

The Colorado offensive line is the strongest unit on the team. If the Buffs are to improve at all from last season’s numbers (92nd in total offense; 109th in scoring offense), the offensive line will not only have to be strong, it will have to be dominant.

And what are the chances of that happening?